To Have or to Be – Reimagining the Focus of Education for Sustainable Development

  • Three decades ago, the term Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) entered educational discourse. However, it is important to note that the concept of >ESD< did not emerge from scholarly debates on education, rather as a tool to carry forward the agenda of sustainable development. As a result, it has been conceptualized in many different ways. This article is an attempt to further the debate on ESD-conceptualization. The paper discusses connections between constructivism, transformative learning, and Erich Fromm’s idea of >to be< and argues that the focus of ESD needs to change from narrow behavioural outcomes to emancipating learners to ask critical questions, decide (without the influence of anonymous authority of capitalism) and engage in activities that allows them to develop an authentic relationship with their world. The article suggests that consistent opportunities (inside and outside the classroom) to reflect and question the >having< mode and taking steps towards >being< mode will address the problem of >otherness< and contribute towards a more sustainable world.

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Metadaten
Author:Qudsia Kalsoom
Parent Title (English):Educational Philosophy and Theory, Vol. 56, No. 4 (2024), pp. 381–391 [Online ISSN 1469-5812] [doi.org/10.1080/00131857.2023.2246639]
Document Type:Articles
Language:English
Year of first Publication:2024
Release Date:2024/11/29
Format:PDF-file to download
IdNo:Kalsoom_Q_2024
Writings about Erich Fromm (Secondary Literature):Articles / Artikel
Erich Fromm's Library and Erich Fromm Archive:Articles / Artikel
Licence (German):free access / direkt zugänglich
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