“Significant, viable and fresh, a way of thinking and for all”: Dialogues with Elizabeth Yerxa on the development ofoccupational science

Abstract

In tribute to Elizabeth Yerxa, this reflective piece revisits her foundational vision for occupational science as a transformative, inclusive, and ethically grounded discipline. Anchored in her assertion that occupational science offers “a significant, viable, fresh way of thinking about the occupational human,” we explore four interrelated themes: Significant, Viable and fresh, For all, and A way of thinking. We argue that significance lies not only in practical application but in the discipline’s capacity to challenge epistemic and social exclusions. Viability and freshness are framed as commitments to methodological pluralism and epistemological sustainability, embracing interpretive, participatory, and culturally situated approaches. The call to serve ‘all people’ demands a reconfiguration of who is recognized as a knowledge producer, supporting occupational science to engage with historically marginalized voices and knowledges. Finally, we position occupational science as a way of thinking, an ethical and political praxis that links knowledge production to social transformation. As scholars navigating multiple epistemic traditions, we reflect on the internationalization of the field and its potential to foster dialogue across differences. In the spirit of Yerxa and Freire, we conclude with questions to provoke collective dialogue (reflection and action) toward a more just and inclusive occupational science.