EDU71030

The pressing problems of our time that challenge sustainability are simultaneously scientific and social, technological and political, ethical and economic. This course introduces key scholars, debates, concepts, critiques, and methods across the social sciences as these relate to social, economic and ecological sustainability as well as racial justice, social equity, bio-cultural and linguistic diversities and the expressions of these in educational contexts. We will explore interactions between knowledge, artifacts, and geopolitical actors and structures; postcolonial and decolonial approaches to knowledge, communication and policy work that attend to the non-Western societies' knowledge traditions and the legacies of colonialism and imperialism; and participatory and planning processes for promoting social learning and tackling wicked problems and large systems change. Students will gain a grounding in interdisciplinary theory that can frame a wide range of research and practice in sustainability education. Students will craft a theoretically driven literature review in an area of their interest and identify opportunities for original research in their own dissertation work.