Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

Academic disciplines have a critical role to play in higher education's response to the planetary challenges of the 21st century. Many academics have embraced the call for a fundamental reorientation of higher education around the goal of education for sustainable development. Individual faculty members who prioritize such a pedagogical goal, however, may find themselves caught between claims of social responsibility on the one hand and traditional norms of their disciplines on the other. This predicament, I suggest, does not require resolution of theoretical debates over interdisciplinarity, but does require concrete practical action on the part of academics for institutional change in the disciplines. I highlight strategies currently being adopted by academic disciplinary associations to advance the mission of the UN Decade on Education for Sustainable Development.

Keywords

academic disciplines higher education professional ethics sustainability

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

AAR (2007) Religious Studies News May 2007. Available at http://www.aashe.org/dans/docs/AAR_Focus_on_Sustainability.pdf (accessed 15 October 2007).

Brennan, A. (1994) `Environmental literacy and educational ideal' , Environmental Values 3: 3-16

CEL (2007) `Higher Education Sustainability Act of 2007 (HESA)'. Campaign for Environmental Literacy. Available at http://www.fundee.org/campaigns/hesa/ (accessed 15 January 2008).

Cortese, A. (2003) `The critical role of higher education in preparing for a sustainable future', Planning for Higher Education March-May 2003: 15-22.

Dans (2007) `Mission and action plan for the disciplinary associations network for sustainability'. Available at http://www.aashe.org/dans/documents/MissionandActionPlanforDANS6-07.doc (accessed 24 September 2007).

Gordon, D. (1982) `The concept of the hidden curriculum', Journal of the Philosophy of Education 16: 187-98.

King, R. (2000) `Defining literacy in a time of environmental crisis' , Journal of Social Philosophy 31: 68-81.

Lempinen, E. (2007) `AAAS President John P. Holdren urges swift action to build a sustainable future'. American Association for the Advancement of Science News Archive, 16 February. Available at http://www.aaas.org/news/releases/2007/0216am_holdren_address.shtml (accessed 19 February 2007).

Lester, B. (2007). `Greening the meeting', Science 318: 36-8.

10.

Maniates, M. (2003) `Civic virtue and classroom toil in a greenhouse world', in M. Maniates (ed.), Encountering Global Environmental Politics, pp. 129-47. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield.

11.

Musil, C. (2003) `Educating for citizenship', Peer Review Spring 2003: 4-8.

12.

Ncse (2008). `Workshop session: Communicating climate chance science and solutions', Climate Change: Science and Solutions Conference [session summary]. Available at http://ncseonline.org/2008conference/cms.cfm?id=2054 (accessed 1/31/08).

13.

Orr, D. (2002) The Nature of Design: Ecology, Culture, and Human Intention. New York: Oxford University Press.

14.

Orr, D. (2004) Earth in Mind: On Education, Environment, and the Human Prospect. Washington DC: Island Press.

15.

Palmer, C. (2004) `Sustainability and philosophy', in J. Blewitt and C. Cullingford (eds), The Sustainability Curriculum:The Challenge for Higher Education, pp. 233-44. London: Earthscan.

16.

Schneider, C. (2002) `Greater expectations and civic engagement'. Liberal Education 90: 6-11. Available at http://www.aacu.org/liberaleducation/le-fa02/le-fa02presidentsmessage.cfm (accessed 26 February 2005).

17.

Scott, B. and Kroger, S. (2008) `Teaching psychology for sustainability: A manual of resources'. Available at http://www.teachgreenpsych.com/index.html (accessed 12 January 2008).

18.

Unced (1992) Agenda 21. Rio de Janeiro: UNCED.

19.

Unesco (2002) `Education for sustainability. From Rio to Johannesburg: Lessons learnt from a decade of commitment'. Paris: UNESCO. Available at http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0012/001271/127100e.pdf (accessed 24 March 2008).

20.

Unesco (2005) Report by the Director-General on the United Nations Decade of Education for Sustainable Development: International implementation scheme and UNESCO's contribution to the implementation of the Decade (172 EX/11). Paris: UNESCO . Available at http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0014/001403/140372e.pdf (accessed 18 February 2008).

Sustainability in higher education: Implications for the disciplines

Abstract

Keywords

Get full access to this article

References