Conditions for transformative learning for sustainable development: a theoretical review and approach

Abstract

Continued unsustainability and surpassed planetary boundaries require not only scientific and technological advances, but deep and enduring social and cultural changes. The purpose of this article is to contribute a theoretical approach to understand conditions and constraints for societal change towards sustainable development. In order to break with unsustainable norms, habits, practices, and structures, there is a need for learning for transformation, not only adaption. Based on a critical literature review within the field of learning for sustainable development, our approach is a development of the concept of transformative learning, by integrating three additional dimensionsInstitutional Structures, Social Practices, and Conflict Perspectives. This approach acknowledges conflicts on macro, meso, and micro levels, as well as structural and cultural constraints. It contends that transformative learning is processual, interactional, long-term, and cumbersome. It takes place within existing institutions and social practices, while also transcending them. The article adopts an interdisciplinary social science perspective that acknowledges the importance of transformative learning in order for communities, organizations, and individuals to be able to deal with global sustainability problems, acknowledging the societal and personal conflicts involved in such transformation.

Keywords

conflict; institutional; learning; social change; social practice; structure; transformative

Published in

Sustainability
2018, Volume: 10, number: 12, article number: 4479

SLU Authors

• Singleton, Benedict

  • Department of Urban and Rural Development, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Associated SLU-program

SLU Swedish Biodiversity Centre


Sustainable Development Goals

SDG4 Quality education
SDG12 Responsible consumption and production


UKÄ Subject classification

Political Science (excluding Public Administration Studies and Globalization Studies)
Learning
Sociology (excluding Social work, Social Psychology and Social Anthropology)


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su10124479

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/97694