The Convergence of Franciscan, Vatican, and African Thought on the Environmental Crisis: A Biopolitical Approach

The contemporary global ecological crisis is fundamentally intertwined with political and capitalist economic structures that prioritize profit over sustainability or equate sustainability with productivity. Addressing this issue necessitates an interdisciplinary and intercultural approach that integrates politics, economics, philosophy, theology, and cultural diversity. This project aims to develop a philosophical post-capitalist theoretical and conceptual framework regarding humanity’s relationship with life and the environment, drawing on the Franciscan (Catholic) perspective, the African philosophical emphasis on relationality and communalism, and biopolitics. By highlighting the intersections of theology, political economy, and African thought, the project seeks to explore an alternative paradigm for sustainable living.