PHILOSOPHICAL ISSUES IN HOME ECONOMICS

by

Feranmi Boluwatife OLUWAGBEMILEKE

PG/EDU2015284

Being a term paper submitted to the

Department of Vocational and Technical Education (Home Economics Unit),
Faculty of Education,
University of Benin, Benin City

Course Code: HEE823

Course Title: Principles of Curriculum Development and
Planning in Home Economics
Course Lecturer: Prof. N.I. Nwabah

NOVEMBER 2022

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Abstract

This paper reviews the emerging philosophical issues in Home Economics as a professional
field of study. It describes the meaning and value orientation of philosophy, as well as the
need to clearly state the philosophy of Home Economics as a profession. The form and
Substance of the traditional Philosophy of Home Economics are examined, and an overview
of the metamorphosis in home economics philosophy was made with recourse to the history
of Home Economics in Nigeria. Then, the contemporary philosophy of Home Economics and
the strategies for implementing home economics philosophy in Nigeria are discussed, while
enumerating the factors hindering effective implementation of Home Economics philosophy.
Finally, the paper presents the two major philosophy related issues in Home Economics as
the need for change of name and change in form and substance. Recommendations were
made with respect to these.
Keywords: Philosophy, profession, substance, value, quality of life

Introduction

Home Economics is a full-fledged profession: It is more than a school-taught subject! As a

field of study, it concerns itself with human personal development, family finance, housing

and interior design, food science and preparation, nutrition and wellness, textiles and apparel,

and other consumer issues, with the focus of improving the quality of life of individuals,

families, and societies. (American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences, AAFCS,

2015). Home economics courses are offered around the world at various educational levels.

History reveals that “the purpose of Home economics courses was to professionalize

housework, to provide intellectual fulfillment for women, and to emphasize the value of

"women's work" in society, thus preparing them for their gender-based traditional roles.”

(Danovich, 2018; also Elias, 2006) But this is drastically changing today.

Professor McGregor Sue L.T of the Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax, Canada

has been one of those in the forefront of specifying and clarifying the philosophy(ies) of

Home Economics. In her Keynote address at the Fifth International Scientific Conference

held at Jelgava, Latvia, she specified the 4 Ps of any profession as follows:

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  Profession – being able to provide a set of services that are beneficial to society as a

whole

 Professional – to be made up of persons who draw on general and specialized

knowledge and are guided by high standards of professional ethics in the practice of

the profession

 Practice – there should be the identifiable, repeatable action pursued as an inherent

part of a given profession

 Philosophy – that is, ideas (beliefs, set of rules and principles) about what is

important in order to achieve high quality and ethical, normative practice

Hence, Home Economics is in no way less a profession because:

1. it provides services to the society, and those services that focus on the family for the

betterment of humanity (that is, optimizing well-being and quality of life);

2. the provision of these services involves rigorous and responsible intellectual activity,

especially moral judgements;

3. home economists continually critique existing knowledge to see if (and how) it

matches the evolving needs of individuals, families and societies;

4. home economists engage in personal reflection and self-critique to ensure their work

is morally defensible; their intent is to present themselves in such a way that society is

very clear about what their profession offers to society; and

5. due to the high level of ethical competence and independent, intellectual thought

required to practice home economics, the scope and purpose of the profession is

necessarily limited; however… the complexity of the knowledge and of practice is not

limited, and this complexity is ideally informed by the philosophy(ies) of practice.

(McGregor, 2012)

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The Concept of Philosophy

“Philosophy” is a common word among academics and laymen. The Greeks conceive the

term ‘philosophy’ to be a combination of two words: Philein (love), and Sophia (wisdom).

The word originally means “Love of wisdom”, where wisdom refers to the ability to relate the

facts from various forms of knowledge to experience. (Balogun, et al 2009)

Philosophy can be defined in three senses:

1. the study of nature and meaning of the universe and of the human life. By this definition,

the Greeks considered anyone who attained knowledge in any area to be a philosopher.

Therefore, philosophy is viewed as encompassing nearly everything that counted as

human knowledge. That is why the highest obtainable degree in any field of study is the

Ph.D. (Doctorate of Philosophy).

2. a particular set of system of beliefs resulting from search for knowledge about life and the

universe. This is the reason philosophy is being regarded as a discipline just as “Science”

is a discipline of reason. Philosophical knowledge can be in areas such as analytical

philosophy, moral and political philosophy, and philosophy of religion.

3. a set of beliefs or an attitude to life that guides the behaviour of someone or something. It

is in the context of this third definition that a profession or area of discipline like Home

Economics finds relevance.

By implication, the philosophy of a profession or discipline is the set of fundamental belief or

knowledge-attitude that guide the concerned profession or area of discipline. Philosophy in

this context can also be viewed as the value-judgment of the discipline since ones values

evolve into one’s philosophy (Balogun, et al 2009). Philosophy contributes to the other Ps of

any profession (especially professionalism and practice) because it offers goals, values and

attitudes for which to strive when practicing. It also helps practitioners be aware of what they

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are doing and why they are doing it, making them better appreciate and understand their

professional actions.

Furthermore, philosophy helps practitioners make decisions that lead to the formation

of ethically consistent and morally defensible practices that impact the human condition. The

philosophy of Home Economics as a profession is the basis for those acts and things accepted

as elements of ideal daily life within the home. Without a philosophy of practice, home

economists cannot know what is motivating them to make very many and critical decisions

with moral overtones, whereas, people can be harmed if the wrong decision is made.

Hence, philosophy defines 4 Rs of practice as follows:

 The rules (principles, values, beliefs, attitudes) of practice

 The roles that practitioner must fulfil and respect

 The relationships they must manage, lead and mentor

 The responsibilities they have for the discipline, the profession and for their ‘clients’ or

‘partners’

The Role of Value in Philosophy

Value is a measure of worth placed on something. A person’s value represents his or her

belief or view or feelings of what is good, important or desirable. Values cannot be seen, but

are recognized in behavior. Examples include peace, comfort, health, popularity, honesty,

security, knowledge, amongst others. As such, An individual or family that values health will

spend more money on nutritionally adequate diet than on varieties of clothing. (Moore &

Brudder, 2002)

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 Values can either be intrinsic or instrumental. Intrinsic values are those that are good

for their own sake, such as love, freedom, truth, and aesthetics. On the other hand,

instrumental values are those that are sought as means of attaining the higher values e.g.

orderliness in sitting room arrangement as a means to achieve aesthetics. However, some

values can be both intrinsic and instrumental. For instance, knowledge is intrinsic and yet

instrumental to power; health is intrinsic and also instrumental to wealth.

In examining the relationship of values and other factors that affect the evolvement of

the philosophy of a discipline, the concepts of goals, standards, needs and likes/dislikes come

into limelight. Values are reasons why we do what we do (that is, primary reasons for our

actions). Goals are objectives we want to achieve, which are set based on our values. Living

standards act as measures for our goals and values (that is, they serve as yardsticks to

measure how well we have attained our valued goals). Standards can either be fixed and rigid

(such as the ones imposed by religion, or culture), or as standards of living (that is, tangible

things such as goods and services desired by the person or society). (Anyakaoha & Eluwa,

1996, as cited in Asif, M., & Majid, 2020).

Needs is the gap between where we are (or what we want) and where we want to be

(or what we want to have.) Abraham Maslow ranked the needs of man in a hierarchy (order

of importance) of five strata: physiological needs (such as food, shelter, sleep, breathing, and

elimination of waste), safety and security needs, love and social acceptance needs, esteem

needs and self-actualization needs. It is noteworthy that our values are modified by our needs,

and that our philosophy is liable to change according to our values. This brings to forefront

the necessity of examining the need for the statement of the philosophy of Home Economics.

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Need for Statement of Philosophy of Home Economics

The need for philosophy statement of a profession/discipline cannot be overemphasized.

Every profession/discipline has a philosophical basis for the training and practice and of its

practitioners.. Philosophy of Home Economics, therefore, is statements of belief upon which

the training and practice of Home Economics are based.

The needs for stating the philosophy of Home Economics are:

1. to develop necessary human resources and competence appropriate for various

educational and community settings,

2. to articulate and defend a personal philosophy of home economics informed by

professionally relevant conceptualization,

3. to organize one’s own professional resourcefulness, development and growth in matters

relating to home economics,

4. to elucidate (open up) areas of communication and collaboration with colleagues from

relevant fields in planning and implementation,

5. to understand alternate philosophies of the discipline and their evolution in relation to

realities of social changes, and

6. to formulate goals, objectives and plans appropriate for Home Economics education and

development in the nation concerned,

Defining the Philosophy of Home Economics

The philosophy of Home Economics has developed over the years, but the essentials of

promoting family living has remained the centre hold. It has been stated in varying ways only

to culminate in the same intent and purpose (Balogun et al, 2009). Every philosophy has its

7
form(s) and substance(s), which are often evolving. Form refers to “our focus, how we come

to know about it, and what values and ethics shape our practice”; while substance is the

“unique perspective we bring to our view of the form of our philosophy; it sets boundaries to

our practice and gives meaning to our work.” (McGregor, 2012)

In Home Economics, the current, accepted philosophical form of Home Economics is as

follows:

 What: Our focus is on individuals and families (alone and as social institutions)

(reality).

 How: We come to know about them by studying their day-to-day lives lived out in

their homes and households, shaped by internal and external factors (knowledge).

 Why: The intent is to improve and enhance, and make as best as possible (optimize),

their well-being, quality of life and everyday life (values and valued ends).

On the other hand, the substance of the philosophy of Home Economics entails the creation

of a unique perspective on our phenomenon of interest – families. The substance of our

profession is not the same around the world because practitioners in different countries draw

from different philosophers. However, there are three approaches to the statement of the

philosophy:

1. A philosophy: In this approach, it is believed that a agreed-to world-wide professional

philosophy of Home Economics may result in a more sustainable profession on a

global scale, a deeper assurance of consistency in practice, a stronger ability to ride

the currents of change, and a far-reaching sense of solidarity. Thus, the profession is

taken to have same form and same substance globally.

2. Comparative Home Economics philosophy(ies): Here, respect is given to the global

diversity of Home Economics practice (over time, regions and cultures), perhaps with

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 an agreed-to form, but with different substance, or different forms but the same

substance, depending upon the context. In essence, through constant comparisons and

dialogue, the form and substance may change.

3. Philosophies: In this, each region would embrace a context-specific home economics

philosophy, bringing about different forms and different substances.

These three approaches can be depicted with the following figure.

A PHILOSOPHY OF COMPARATIVE PHILOSOPHIES OF

HOME ECONOMICS HOME ECONOMICS HOME ECONOMICS

• Same form PHILOSOPHY(IES) • Different form

• Same substance • Same form, different • Different substance
substance
• Different form, same
substance

Figure 1: Approaches to the Statement of Home Economics Philosophy

Traditional Viewpoint of the Philosophy of Home Economics

Some of the generally acceptable ways the philosophy of Home Economics has been stated

are as follows:

• The American Home Economics Association defines Home Economics as a field of

knowledge and service concerned primarily with strength of family (Cangage, 2022)

• At the international meeting of the Permanent Council of Home Economics (Berlin,

1965), Home Economics was described as the possible knowledge of all problems

regarding home and family, emphasizing research finding and dissemination on

matters concerning food, clothing, shelter, health and human relationships.

• Home Economics studies of human and material resources available to individuals

and homes, and the using this knowledge for the benefit of mankind.

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Specific Objectives of Home Economics

The specific objectives of Home Economics are the specific competencies expected of

professional Home Economists. In other words, they are the goals of the profession set based

on the values and philosophy of the field. The unique and versatile preparation of the Home

Economics graduate puts him/her in a position capable of taking up various types of positions

in Nigeria and internationally. Specifically, Home Economics examine the following:

1. Family relationships and child development.

2. Intellectual consumption of goods and services, including other economic aspects of

personal and family living.

3. Nutritional needs for different age groups, in health and disease, including creative

food utilization for physiological needs and for leisure.

4. Housing for the family, including interior decoration and outdoor terracing.

5. Design of textiles for clothing and for home decoration and other utilizations.

6. Selection, construction, and care of clothing to meet its psychological, social and

functional significance.

7. Arts and humanities as an integral part of everyday life to add value to living at the

family and wider levels.

8. Part of legislative and social action programs which directly affect the welfare of

individuals and families.

9. Co-operation with people of international cultures and agencies who contrive to raise

level of living.

10. Carrying out research and applying findings to improve family, society, national and

world-wide social and economic development.

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From the foregoing, Home Economics appears to be the study of activities of the home and

their relationships to their environment. In other words, the philosophy of Home Economics

could be simply said to be the conceptualization that defines its content as a discipline at any

point in History. At this point, it is important to give an overview of the historical description

of the philosophy of Home Economics. (Balogun, et al, 2009)

Metamorphosis in Home Economics Philosophy

Having clearly stated the philosophy of Home Economics as a formal profession, it is

necessary to highlight the progressive ‘transformation’ that the field and its philosophy are

undergoing over centuries. Without mincing words, history enables us to link the past actions

and events with the present and offers a foundation for the future development of the

discipline. Though international cooperation in the profession is coordinated by the

International Federation for Home Economics, established in 1908 (International Federation

for Home Economics, IFHE, 2014), several persons, causes, and activities have served to

develop Home Economics and uplifted it to the academic and professional levels it has

attained today.

It is inevitable to study the history of Home Economics in the United States of

America (USA), where the discipline has received the global lead in its professionalisation.

Afterwards, attention shall be given to the history of the development of Home Economics in

our country, Nigeria.

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Global History of Home Economics

The Beginning of Home Economics as a Field of Study

Home Economics was created in Lake Placid, New York on September, 19, 1899 near

the beginning of the Progressive Era by women like Ellen Swallow Richards and Maria

Panoa, and men like Melvil Dewey (Matthews, 1987). The first Home Economics

programmes were popularly started at agricultural colleges, being very basic and consisting

mainly of reading lessons for farmers’ wives. The founders had envisioned Home Economics

to be a way for women breakthrough into the scientific field.

However the women once gone into home economics found it difficult to expand into

anything else, partly because women had been hitherto excluded from most of sciences.

Rather, women were considered to be responsible for the nutritional needs of the family,

meaning that they provided nourishment by cooking. However, since the 1840s when

Catherine Beecher in her “Treatise on Domestic Economy” advised women to acquire the

knowledge that could lead to informed decisions on how to feed their families instead of

memorization of cookbooks (Kamminga & Cunningham 1995), nutrition has come to mean

more than just feeding, but providing nutritionally adequate diets that would support health.

With this upgrade in nutrition knowledge, women were able to both strengthen their domestic

position and also enter the scientific arena.

Cornell’s College of Home Economics was founded at the beginning of the 20th

century with her original Charter stating the goals of the College in a very ambiguous way.

For example, the term “domestic sciences and art” was introduced, yet not fully defined

(Cornell University, 2012). In 1909, Ellen Swallow Richards, the first president of the

American Home Economics Association had considered the name “human ecology” but this

move was vetoed by Melvin Dewey.

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The “Progressive Era” of Home Economics

Home Economics in early 20th century America had a major role in the Progressive Era, a

period of development of the welfare state, the triumph of modern hygiene and scientific

medicine, the application of scientific research in a number of industries, and the

popularization of important research on child development, family health, and family

economics.

Women trained in Home Economics in the first quarter of the 20thcentury worked

hard to find and develop new roles and new jobs for themselves, not just in the educational

system but also in the private sector. They began to work in the food and consumer goods

industries. They were also found around the same time to be working as hospital dietitians,

thereby creating for themselves a place within the hierarchy of the hospital community.

Home Economics in Mid and Late 20th Century till Date

According to Margaret Rossiter, men moved into Home Economics in the 1960s during

which Home Economics gained funding and legitimacy in getting grants and institutional

support. By this time (the 1960s) the name “home economics” was thought to suggest gender

stereotypes that many women were struggling to overcome (Cornell University, 2012). To

combat this many colleges began to change the names of their home economics departments

to “home ecology” as first suggested back in 1909 by Ellen Swallow Richards.

The shift from home economics to human ecology went fare more than a change in

name. It also implied a change in scope. Cornell’s College of Home Economics, for instance,

changed to the College of Human Ecology spelling out more specific goals of its programmes

to include: human development, consumer economics, family relationships, human nutrition,

household design among others. (Cornell University, 2012). Steven Clarke of the University

13
of Texas Human Ecology Department was said to have described the difference between the

two nomenclatures by saying that although the elements of Human Ecology evolved from

the programmes encompassed by Home Economics, Human Ecology is much more far-

reaching. This permitted women to pursue careers in areas that were simply extension of

domesticity.

More recently, the field has become known as “Family and Consumer Sciences,” a

name that suggest more scientific outlook and wider coverage of scope. Thus, the American

Home Economics Association is now American Association for Family and Consumer

Sciences (AAFCS, 2015)

History of Home Economics in Nigeria

Home Economics in Pre-Colonial Nigeria

Home Economics education has existed informally among Nigerians long before the advent

of western education as brought by Christian Missionaries. The nature of the training, devoid

of planned curriculum, was by practical observation. Knowledge acquisition was very slow

and shallow, and the aim was solely to train and prepare the female child (from childhood

through adolescence) for handling effectively the chores expected in marriage and

motherhood. The Nigerian female child received her early traditional lessons about the home

from her mother and close relatives, who help nurture the child physically and socially, as

well as educate her in the cultural norms of the society.

Majorly, the pre-colonial era girls were taught to become caring mothers and good

housewives though training was through observation and imitation of their biological or

surrogate mothers. In many instances, home economics education was largely run through the

14
apprenticeship system in which older female children were not trained as homemaker by their

own mothers but by their close relatives or by experts in particular trades or skills (such as

preparation of traditional food delicacies like akara, moinmoin, or agidi, or skills like textile

dyeing, cotton thread spinning, and cloth weaving).

Girls were taught to take care of children, prepare acceptable family meals (without

any formal recipes), wash clothes and household utensils, fetch water and keep their houses

and surroundings clean. The mothers (either biological or surrogate), alongside their role as

instructors, impart the values of discipline, perseverance, good mannerism and so on. This is

aimed at making them homemakers with wholesome personalities to enjoy happy human

relationships in the society.

Home Economics in Nigeria during the Colonial Era

The nomenclature, Home Economics, was formerly referred to in the colonial era as

Domestic Science. Domestic Science was introduced into Nigeria by Catholic Missionaries

from France who arrived in Lagos in 1873. They started the St. Mary Convent School in

Lagos, and Domestic Science was a major subject in their curriculum. They taught laundry,

needle work, knitting, child care, cookery, housekeeping, etc. The wives of pastors and

clergymen were the first adults to receive this training in domestic science, which is generally

aimed at imparting knowledge and skills in the preparation for good homemaking or in

setting up a career, or the combination of both. Later, other Christian denominations such as

the Anglican (Church of England) arrived Nigeria and in the course of evangelism Nigerian

men were to be trained as clergymen in Britain. Consequently, their wives were also caused

to receive training in domestic science while there in Britain. An example of this

phenomenon is the late Rev. Ransom - Kuti, and his late wife, Funmilayo (Burman, 1999)

15
 In 1927, Queen’s College, Lagos (a Unisex Secondary School for Girls) was

established and the first principal of the college, Miss Blackwell ensured that domestic

science was included in the school curriculum. Other contributors to the development of

Home Economics included many expatriate women like Mrs. Johnson, the Deputy Chief

Inspector of Education, who had written many books in the area of domestic science.

Through the efforts of these European women in education frontiers in Nigeria, Domestic

Science in 1931 gained Federal and regional governments’ recognition. Female European

officers were appointed to look into domestic science in Ministries and to improve women

education generally. Domestic Science centres dotted primary school premises nationwide.

By 1956, the curriculum of Secondary Modern School (an equivalent of Modern Junior

Secondary School) of the old western region included needle work, domestic science and

handcrafts.

Home Economics in Post-Independent Nigeria

Nigeria gained independence on 1st October, 1960 from her colonial master, Britain although

a good percentage of the senior workforce was still made up of the British. By early 1960s

domestic science was introduced to the curriculum of some secondary schools run by

Christian Missions and by mid - 60s domestic science was incorporated in the WASC (West

African School Certificate) syllabus as well as in the Grade II Teachers’ Training Colleges.

By 1962, in the then eastern region of Nigeria a review of the education system was

undertaken to include a system of vocational training and guidance in primary and secondary

schools. In response, it was recommended that teaching of needlework and handcrafts (for

boys), Cookery and Home Management (for girls) be extended to all categories of primary

schools (Mission or Government-owned). Since a large number of girls terminated their

16
formal education at the primary schools either for marriage or for jobs in the public or private

service it was considered appropriate to prepare them generally to acquire the necessary

knowledge and skills for successful homemaking. (Kamminga, 1998, as cited in Okonmah,

2019)

Female European women continued to work as domestic science inspectors first in the

Eastern region and later in the other two regions -namely the Northern and Western Regions.

In 1960 domestic science was replaced, in nomenclature, by Home Economics in paradox

with happenings in the USA. Since then, professionalism has been made of Home

Economics. The entry qualifications into Home Economics study in tertiary institutions have

been reviewed to include the physical science, even as required for traditionally noble

disciplines such as medicine. Basically, the philosophy of Home Economics has evolved to

become the application of the knowledge from the Pure and Applied Sciences, Social

Sciences, Arts and Humanities to develop not only women but also men with fundamental

competencies in proffering scientific solutions to problems and improving the quality of life

in the family, the community, nation, and the world at large.

The University of Nigeria, Nsukka was the first to run Home Economics at degree

level. Many Colleges of Education, Polytechnics and Universities now offer Home

Economics related programmes. The scope of Home Economics has continued to widen,

creating avenues for numerous careers and professionalism in Home Economics as seen

today.

Contemporary Philosophy of Home Economics

One’s philosophy is liable to change according to one’s values. Values change with age,

environment and experiences, and are interrelated with needs, goals and standards. Similarly,

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philosophy of a discipline is dynamic in accordance with trends in societal values - i.e. the

rapidly changing state of development of the society motivates the derivation of new

philosophy of Home Economics. Motivating factors (values) have been responsible for the

need for re-statement of the philosophy of Home Economics at different era.

The contemporary philosophy of Home Economics is the application of the

knowledge from the pure and applied sciences, social sciences, Arts and Humanities to

develop men and women with fundamental competences in proffering scientific solutions to

problems in the use of resources to meet family needs, accessing and increasing information

on the facts of life, and improving living in the family, the community, nation, and the world

at large.

From the definition of the contemporary philosophy of Home Economics, it is

observable that Home Economics is a discipline has a broad knowledge base, drawing from

pure sciences such as Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, applied sciences such as

nutrition, information technology, engineering of home appliances, and social sciences

include subjects such as sociology, family living, human development and psychology. In the

field of Arts and Humanities, such knowledge as Fine Arts, and Environmental as well as

Communication Arts are inclusive. All these other fields of study form the basis by which

Home Economics produces competent individuals who are capable of improving the living

of, not just the family but of, the community, nation and the world at large.

It suffices to say at this point that the philosophy of Home Economics at an earlier

stage was limited to acquiring knowledge and competence in the arts of cookery, child care,

housekeeping and handcrafting for girls in preparation for good homemaking. Today,

philosophy of Home Economics has shifted largely from this simple definition to a high level

of professionalism.

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 Below are some of those factors which have motivated the derivation of new

philosophy for Home Economics:

1. Knowledge of nutrition as a science with enormous implication for healthful living has

made knowledge in physical and life sciences inevitable in Home Economics curriculum.

2. Shift in the society from settlements of small communities to more complex urban

dwellings calls for change in housing design and land-space management.

3. Human movements for business or leisure have been on the increase, creating the need

for institutional outfits to mimic home environment, a sort of “a home away from home”,

e.g. hotels, hostels and hospitals.

4. More and more people eat away from home either as necessitated by long uninterrupted

work hours away from home, or for the pleasure it gives particularly as it creates a

conducive atmosphere for interpersonal business or social relationships, or just to break

the monotony of “home cooking”. Adequate preparation in institutional food management

will be required this wise.

5. Technology has facilitated domestic tasks. The Home Economist must be competent in

the knowledge of operation and maintenance of domestic and institutional equipment.

6. Improvement of the socio-economic status of most cultures has been reflected in their

change of taste for higher aesthetic and functional values for clothing, housing designs

and interior designs.

7. Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has globalised information and ideas,

and exposure to experiences, all of which have impacted the standards of the society.

Discovering the changing needs of industries, families, and societies and means of

satisfying these needs have necessitated venturing into scientific research in Home

Economics.

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8. As more and more women get engaged outside the home impartation of early childhood

education has shifted on alternate institutions, a phenomenon demanding knowledge of

child care and development by the Home Economist. (Balogun, et al, 2009)

Strategies of Implementing Home Economics Philosophy in Nigeria

The philosophy of Home Economics is sought to be achieved in Nigeria through the

following:

1. Preparing the individual for home making and family life. (such as learning the roles as a

husband/father, wife/mother, fundamental training in marriage and family)

2. Nurturing and fostering physical development and well-being of the family, community,

nation, and institutions (such as schools, hospitals, restaurants)

3. Helping at various governmental levels in their central body for planning and

implementing Home Economics programs in education, extension and others at various

levels in the country.

4. Taking up positions in the work force (public and private) as Nutritionists in hospitals and

communities, as Institutional Managers, Interior Designers, Household Equipment

Testers, Textile and Fashion Designers, Administrators in Education and Child Welfare

Agencies, Teachers and Research Workers.

5. Keeping up with recent developments in the discipline through organizing of seminars,

conferences, reading a wide variety of professional journals and implementing current

ideas emanating from such in order to make and carry out intelligent decisions.

6. Contributing to knowledge and improvement strategies through research and

communications.

7. Bring about good interpersonal relationships within the home, the community and hence

contribute to the world peace at large. (Balogun, et al, 2009)

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Factors Hindering Effective Implementation of Home Economics Philosophy

It is obvious that Home Economics, according to its philosophy, is capable of adding value to

family living, create a happier community, a progressive nation and a prosperous world at

peace with itself.

However, it is necessary, at this stage, to highlight the factors that pose as challenges

and limitations to the full implementation of Home Economics philosophy in Nigeria and in

other developing countries. These factors include the following.

1. Culture and social practices in which the Nigerian women (the homemaker) has very

little or no control on decision making on issues that affect her home. This gender issue

has arisen for the fact that the woman is often very much less educated and less

empowered than her counterpart man. A global move to remedy this situation is however

being made. For example, the fifth Sustainable Development Goal set by the United

Nations is to “achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls.”

2. Diversity in the cultural, religious and socio-economic environments calls for

fragmentation of possible solutions to family and national problems.

3. The declining economy has limited the adoption of new technology that could enhance

work simplification in the home. This same economic factor has limited funding for

research work to identify the changing family and societal needs in order to proffer

solutions to them.

4. The Nigerian society not very dynamic in accepting and adapting to change in the face of

changing challenges of the family, society, and the world.

5. Competition with other disciplines for science-oriented students has often limited

enrollment for the Home Economics program in learning institutions (Balogun, et al,

2009)

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Emerging Philosophical Issues in Home Economics

1. Change of Name:

As clearly outline in the history of Home Economics, one of the major philosophy-related

issues that the profession has had to face is that of nomenclature. In other words, what

name best captures all the tenets and ideals of the profession? Formerly known in the

United States as home economics (often abbreviated "home ec" or "HE"), various

organizations, including the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences,

adopted the new term "Family and Consumer Sciences (FCS)" to reflect the fact that the

field covers aspects outside of home life and wellness. (AAFCS, 2015)

The field has also been known by other names over many decades, including

human sciences, home science, domestic economy, and (especially many decades ago)

the domestic arts, the domestic sciences, or the domestic arts and sciences. In addition,

home economics has a strong historic relationship to the field of human ecology, and

since the 1960s a number of university-level home economics programs have been

renamed "human ecology" programs, including Cornell University's program. (Cornell

University, 2012)

2. Change in Form and Substance of the Philosophy:

One big issue in the philosophy of Home Economics is the continuous modification of

form and the substance across the globe. To start with, different people turn to different

philosophers for philosophical insights. For instance, North America and Oceania tend

towards Habermas’ philosophy, Europe and Scandinavia tend toward Merleau-Ponty,

Husserl and Heidegger, Japan tends towards Bollnow, while China tends towards

Confucius. (McGregor, 2012). The regions almost ignore the works of philosophers such

as Karp Popper, Jean-Paul Sartre, Michel Foucault, John Dewey (maybe in home

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economics education), Friedrich Nietzsche, Karl Marx, John Stuart Mill, Noam Chomsky,

amongst others. Below is an example of the diversity of opinions about what counts as

Home Economics philosophy.

 Canada: Transdisciplinarity, transformative, philosophical well-being, focus on

human condition

 United States: Reflective leadership, critical science, qualities of living, communities

of practice

 Europe and Scandinavia: Competent thoughtful practice, sacred everyday life,

narratives, integral specialists

 Australia: Carnival(esque), expert novice, beyond patriarchy, convergent moments,

generational theory, future-proofing

 Asia (especially Japan): Visualize humane society, human protection, home as

habitation, civil minimum (McGregor, 2012).

Moreover, change in the substance of our philosophy of practice results in

change in our ideologies, research methodologies, theories, methods, results reporting and

applications in practice. As a result the following is a collection of progressive and

simultaneous modification to the form and the substance of philosophy of home

economics, globally. It is regarded as the Philosophical Mosaic, which harmonizes the

perception of Home Economics by practitioners in over 200 countries.

 choose to focus on the human condition, basic human needs and qualities of living

rather than just well-being and quality of life (form);

 consider the concepts of wholesight and being-in-the-world (substance);

 accept the idea that everyone on earth has a right to basic education for life

competence (a rights-based approach) so as to foster the culture of family life (form

and substance);

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 use new conceptualizations of the home (the house as a place for humanity and the

ascendency of human beings rather than just shelter for individual families) (form);

 consider the restoration of humanity by viewing home economics as a discipline for

human protection focused on the soundness and fullness of human life and existential

hope (based on the assumption that the destruction of private life leads to the

destruction of the conditions of humans in general) (form and substance)

 show a newfound respect for everyday life, especially how people make sense and

meaning within their daily life (form);

 position the profession beyond patriarchy (substance);

 conceive our body of knowledge as agent-centered rather than subject- or content-

centered (facilitated through communities of practice instead of separate

specializations) (substance);

 adopt different notions of what competent practice looks like (predicated on

sustainability of culture and society, personal and social responsibility, and a

willingness to live and manage together) (substance)

 embrace celebratory, reflective leadership with a focus on human action (ethical,

spiritual and authentic) and human as well as intellectual and philosophical capital,

rather than conventional management and transactional leadership (form and

substance);

 move away from integrated practice to integral practice (shift from balance and

harmony to a respect for the emergent and healthy tensions that hold things together

as they continually evolve in an attempt to see order emerging in chaos) (substance);

 move far beyond interdisciplinary to the intellectually energizing spaces of

transdisciplinarity and integral thinking (substance);

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  consider the idea of having fun and taking pleasure while practising on the margins,

and of resisting normalization (carnival and carnivalesque) (substance); and

 embrace new notions of what it means to be an expert (expert novice and integral

specialist) (substance).

Conclusion

The philosophy of Home Economics is not static but evolves as a result of certain motivating

factors. Therefore, the objectives of Home Economics cover a wide range from performance

in family living, food use and nutrition, housing, textile designs, clothing designs and

construction, researching, to being part of national and international agencies whose

programs directly affect the family and society world-wide. Given the huge moral

responsibility of our profession to humanity, home economics must continue to engage in

collective dialogue about the topic of philosophy(ies) in practice, and work together to create

practice that is consistent with the valued ends of the profession (philosophical form and

substance).

However, the implementation of Home Economics philosophy particularly in the

developing countries is highly limited by factors such as gender inequality, socio-economic

and diverse cultural and religious practices within a nation. Such limiting factors are pertinent

philosophical issues to be addressed.

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Recommendations

From the review of Philosophy of Home Economics Education and emerging or persisting

issues, the following are recommended:

1. International bodies should ensure that the nomenclature of the field of study should

be objectively reformed to reflect its true scientific and non-gender-biased nature.

2. As the form and substance of the philosophy of Home Economics continue to change

and differ across cultures, practitioners and scholars should continue to reinforce the

need to remain committed to the central goal: the improvement of life.

3. Nigerian citizens (parents and children) need to break free from the stereotypic and

mediocre view they have about Home Economics as a course of study for the

unemployed full housewives

4. Policy makers should properly position the course as a viable means to be well-

equipped for the realities of life and sustainable development. This will help surmount

the treat posed by competition with other disciplines

5. The government should take drastic and realistic steps towards rescuing the ever-

declining economy . According Home Economics a valued place in alleviating

poverty and norm re-orientation will help a long way in achieving this.

6. Diversity in the socio-cultural and political landscapes of various ethnic groups within

Nigeria and nations of the world should be treated as a blessing and not a dividing

force.

7. Home Economics programmes should be properly funded. Governments, private

owners of educational institutions, non-governmental organizations should make their

contributions towards accomplishing this.

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