Critical perspectives on environmental and sustainability education

The research group studies how the education system meets and responds to major societal challenges relating to sustainability, justice and democracy. Environmental and sustainability issues are characterized by complexity and are often embedded in conflicts of interest.  

The problematization and responsibility for environmental and sustainability issues requires multiple perspectives. It also requires an ability to discuss and critically examine complex issues. Consequently, today's society and its challenges raise crucial questions about the aim and content of education. The research group explores critical perspectives on education that directly address power imbalances and issues of responsibility and obligations. The research focus on how education handles issues of global justice, unsustainable lifestyles, emotions, conflicts and identities as well as young people's resistance in relation to environmental and sustainability issues. We are interested in education that focuses on different relationships, for example between generations, global South and the global North, human and nature, and human and animals. The group is rooted in educational philosophy, postcolonial and posthuman perspectives, agonistic theory, political discourse theory and pragmatism. Currently, a research project funded by the Swedish Research Council is conducted which empirically investigates the opportunities and challenges of addressing ethically and politically charged global justice issues in teaching practices.