Ecojustice Education

Megan Kirby

"Modern man does not experience himself as a part of nature but as a force destined to dominate and conquer it. He even talks of battle with nature, forgetting that, if he won the battle, he would find himself on the losing side"

Ecojustice pedagogy first involves a change in perspective. . .

Ecojustice educators must unsubscribe from the "illusion of disembeddedness" (humanities hyper-separation from nature and general "logic of domination".

The Ecojustice framework is centered around several principles:

The Earth is the sphere on which everything else depends, defining possibilities and limits
Humanity is part of the natural world, not a force against it.
Economy is a subsystem of nature
If all are to live equitably and sustainably, we as individuals must recognize our limits.

Dominant Capitalist Values

competition

accumulation and greed

superiority

egoistic

insatiability

short-term perspective

victory

confrontation

profit

Ecojustice Values

cooperation

self-limitation

humility

community

pleasure

long-term perspective

partnership

solidarity

wisdom

Language is

never neutral

Metaphors we as humans use (typically with Eurocentric cultural origins) to define ourselves within the larger system contribute to the widespread notion that humans are outside of or superior to the natural world rather than an element of it. This outlook manifests in exploitation of land and resources, hierarchial social systems, and cruelty to other species and damages the natural relationships we depend on for survival.

Further, the language often used to rationalize racism is deeply connected to humanity's hyperseparation from the natural world and promotes the notion that some humans can or should be exploited and controlled. Historically, races have been described as "savage", "wild", or "uncivilized", connecting them to the realm under their dominion.

KEY CONCEPTS

Environmental Commons - relationships we have with the natural world (forests, seas, air, land, other creatures)
Cultural Commons - relationships, beliefs, practices, and traditions that offer community members mutual wellbeing.
Anthropocentrism - philosophical viewpoint that human beings are the central or most significant entities in the world.
Stewardship - the idea that in order for change to be enacted, agents of change (stewards) must drive progress forward.

EcoJustice is a pedagogy of responsibility.

Humanity has a responsibility to maintain natural resource availability for future generations
Individuals have a responsibility to reasonably limit their consumption in order to sustain resources for the rest of the population

In the Classroom

Examine Local Issues

Identify serious problems within the community
analyze the roots of these problems in larger socio-economic and cultural systems
create localized, healthy relationships with mentors and with one another
make relevent the places, people, creatures, and ecosystems that students are an embedded part of.

Career Discourse

The language we use surrounding career choice is never impartial, so credibility may be enhanced by being more open about the personal belief systems that underpin our practice.

Students should be engaged in examining the social and environmental impacts of their vocational choices. Who "you" want to become is built on relationships with other people and the planet.

Partnership and Community

Teachers should see themselves in "codevelopment" with students and community partners
Students should prioritize their own learning in addition to understanding their classmates' range of perspectives and contributions
Relationships within and beyond the classroom are central to the learning experience

Sources Used:

Irving, Barrie A. “Ecojustice, Equity and Ethics: Challenges for Educational and Career Guidance.” Revista Fuentes, Translated by Beatriz Malik-Lievano, vol. 21, no. 2, ser. 2019, 6 Nov. 2019, pp. 253–263. 2019.

Jucker, Rolf. “Have the Cake and Eat It: Ecojustice Versus Development? Is It Possible to Reconcile Social and Economic Equity, Ecological Sustainability, and Human Development? Some Implications for Ecojustice Education.” Educational Studies, vol. 36, 1 Aug. 2004, pp. 10–24.

Lowenstein, Ethan, et al. “Developing Teachers' Capacity for Ecojustice Education and Community-Based Learning.” Teacher Education Quarterly, Fall 2010, 2010, pp. 99–118.

Martusewicz, Rebecca. “Ecojustice for Teacher Education Policy and Practice.” Issues in Teacher Education, vol. 27, no. 2, 2018. Summer 2018.

Miller, Wendy, and Ashley Cardamone. “Educating Through Art, Ecology, and Ecojustice: a Rain Barrel Project.” Art Education, Taylor & Francis Ltd, Jan. 2021.

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