The edited volume advocates for teaching systemic ethics as a form of life-long learning within nature’s classroom to support social and environmental justice. This book also explains critical systemic thinking as both an individual and a collective responsibility through many ways of knowing spanning the arts and sciences to inspire creativity.
This volume contributes to theory and practice by making suggestions as to how to re-frame the content, structure and process of education for transformation. This volume makes a case for a more relational understanding of human beings and other species. This volume also explores a more integrated curriculum where learners are given the opportunity to explore many ways of knowing and learning to earn, learn and grow a future through circular economies, co-operatives and learning communities. This book highlights how the models of sustainable development focus on education for wellbeing in line with the UNESCO approach outlined in 2021 that emphasizes the systemic nature of education rooted in protecting the environment and supported by the participation of active global citizens.
This volume demonstrates transformation of our thinking and practice is overdue and calls for changing the narrative through our standing together and redesigning systems of education to prioritize a more holistic worldview that embraces the planet and living systems. The focus of this volume is on values, perspectives and ways to make a difference through addressing a range of practical concerns, such as: food, energy and water security.
Ontologically the editors' perspective is shaped by recognising kinship with nature, as expressed by Indigenous custodians. Epistemologically the editors and contributors to this volume explore ways to enhance education based on working across cultures and disciplines using a cross cultural approach and mixed methodology. Axiologically the editors support the notion of transformative research that promotes balancing non-anthropocentrism with an approach that draws on Indigenous wisdom whilst addressing patriarchal notions through gender mainstreaming.
Janet McIntyre-Mills (DLitt et Phil, Sociology) is Professor Extraordinarius at University of South Africa, ranked by the National Research Foundation in South Africa and Visiting Research Fellow at the Yunus Social Business Centre within the University of Adelaide Business School since Dec 2019 and holds affiliation with Universitas Padjadjaran where she is affiliated with the Centre for Research and Participatory Development Research. She has been nominated ‘Sociologist of the Month’ in August 2019 by the Current Sociology Journal in recognition of her paper: ‘Recognising our hybridity and Connectedness’. Her research focuses on systemic representation, accountability and re-generation applied to social and environmental justice concerns and includes both edited and sole authored volumes such as: Planetary Passport: Re-presentation, Accountability and Re-Generation and Systemic Ethics and non-anthropocentric Stewardship, Springer, New York. Recently, she has published From Polarisation to Multispecies Relationships: Re-Generation of the Commons in the Era of Mass Extinctions, Springer (2021).
Yvonne Corcoran-Nantes (PhD Sociology) is an International Gender Consultant and a Principal Research Fellow in the Social Sciences and Adjunct Associate Professor at Flinders University. She is also an Associate of the Gender Consortium at Flinders University and Research Fellow, Centre for Research and Participatory Development Research, Universitas Padjadjaran, Indonesia. She engages with some of the major issues facing women globally and specialises in gender specific research in non-western countries in the field of development and international politics, dealing with issues such as gender equality, human rights, gender-based violence, sustainable development, terrorism and conflict. She wrote a seminal work on Central Asian women entitled Lost Voices: Central Asian Women Confronting Transition which was published by Zed Books and is now in its 12th edition. She is presently working on a book about women resistance fighters in the American War in Vietnam. Recently, she has published From Polarisation to Multispecies Relationships: Re-Generation of the Commons in the Era of Mass Extinctions, Springer (2021).
