**8. The theoretical framework: posthumanism**

Posthumanism assumes a posture which is an anti-humanist and an antienlightenment from its origin, not because it negates the being and the notion of the 'human'. To the contrary, it attempts to deepen and sharpen the understanding of the place of the human in the universe [33]. What it objects to is the way in which the era(s) of enlightenment and humanism have hierachised the universe in their search for order and discipline. The eras of humanism and enlightenment which started

#### *Employability as Inclusive Entanglement in Relationalities: A Design in Sustainable Learning… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.114033*

around the 1300s and 1685 respectively constituted a response against the lawlessness that came before them in the form of the era called the Dark Ages [34]. The latter experienced the so-called hordes of marauding barbarians destroying the culture and the established order in Europe. As an example, the monasteries as the last bastion of learning and generation of order as well as knowledge through religion and study were vandalised. The books were also burned by these barbarians. Mayhem was the order of the day. So, when order finally emerged in Europe in the form of religion and nation states, it was accompanied by a strong believe that nature was given to the human race for its exploitation as it was regarded as its (human race's) dominion presented by God the creator [33]. The holy scriptures supported this view where unfettered exploitation of the environment and its resources was justified. It was also a given that even humans were not equal. Other humans, of a fairer skin, of a male gender who were also rulers, kings and their sons as well as their friends, including relatives, were regarded as a superior cast, closer to God. They had a mandate to rule and govern everything in their environment as they had the divine rights to do so. Oppression and discrimination of all women, Black people in general, and animals, were thus justified. Discrimination and oppression as in slavery and colonisation were the fulfilment of the superior class's (white males) mandate as ordained by God. They ruled by decrees inspired by what was called the divine rights of kings [34].

Posthumanism came into existence around the 1950s as a reaction against the inequalities that continued to be justified by humanism and enlightenment which it argues, led to the climaxing of the era of the Anthropocene as amplified in the mass destruction of human life and the planet through the two world wars [35]. The Anthropocene is also marked by the rampant destruction of the environment. The examples of such being excessive mining where toxins are used to extract minerals from the belly of the earth, deforestation where natural plants are removed to give way to the practices of agriculture and human settlement, uncontrolled industrialisation that leads to factories and machines emitting and depositing carbon into the stratosphere, humans throwing waste around and into the oceans and rivers, infinite numbers of aeroplanes and cars destroying the ozone layer through fumes they spew out [35]. The above demonstrate the infinite greed of humans that has led us to the advent of COVID -19, droughts and incessant floods the world over, highest levels of crime and unemployment, poverty, and more wars. The recalcitrant racism and (neo-)colonialism that suffuse this period and refuse to recede have also intensified due to the influence of humanism and enlightenment [36].

Posthumanism argues that all these deleterious impacts are ascribable to the erroneous life-and-world view of humanism and enlightenment that centres the universe round the human. This has led to inequality among species including among humans [33]. The antidote to all these according to Posthumanism is when the life-and-world view changes to recognising that humans are equal among themselves, to other animate and inanimate non-human things as well as the more-than human machines and cyborgs in the universe [35]. The deleterious effects of the Anthropocene would thus be reversed and eradicated when respect is afforded to the environment and all that occur in it. Posthumanism emphasise the value of promoting social justice, equity, freedom, peace, and hope. All these are the cornerstones of inclusivity that recognises entanglement of relationalities that constitute reality. The interesting point is that such a view de-centres the assumed unitary identity of humans. This implies that humans are but part of nature, and of the environment. Humans and their identities are dependent on these for their construction [36]. Without the animals, the trees, the stones, and the rivers, to name but a few, we also do not exist. Humans

derive their being in relational entanglements to all these in our environment, hence nature. Without the land and objects like infrastructure therein, humans cannot be who they can and supposed to be. In the same breath, so do youth belong to these entangled relationalities that define one as a multilayered complexity. For them to be employed they need to be included through sustainable learning environments that increase their chances of success as they become who they can become. To be employed requires the youth to acquire good education, which is also relevant to the world-of-work and gives one the competitive urge [33]. However, all these may be in vain if not coupled with good networks cultivated with, say factories and other places of where opportunities for employed exist. Thus, coming from home settings and backgrounds with such rich networks and social capital are more likely to secure employment than those coming from far off backgrounds that may also be unknown to the world-of-work and agencies that can support emerging businesses with start-up resources including finances. One's family background that includes one's socio-economic status, religion, type and location of school and its curriculum, as well as race, among others, in many instances become determining factors in securing a job [36]. These are some of the relationalities that all youth are entangled with, inextricably so, as they construct their self-systems.
