EDUS4010 Education for Global Sustainable Development (5 cr)

In 2015 United Nations member countries adopted 17 goals (SDGs) aiming for peace and prosperity of the planet now and in the future. However, they are critiqued for being too Eurocentric. The course introduces students to these goals, through a critical, postcolonial and decolonial theory review. The course content comprises of definition of concepts and dimensions of sustainability (economic, ecological, social, and cultural) and the roles of education in developing sustainable futures. Students will be introduced to global south perspectives through guest lectures, and they are further challenged to deconstruct Euro and/or western centric normative assumptions. Lectures and readings introducing different analysis strategies will guide students’ learning to question and identify structural challenges of global sustainable development and education. During the course, students will participate in lectures, group discussions and project work.

Contents:   

• Debates around sustainable development education (policies and theoretical debates).

• Postcolonial, decolonial and other critical theories.

• Selected perspectives from the global south on sustainable development education.

SDGs:

• https://sdgs.un.org/goals

Upon completion of the course, students will

• be able to understand, analyse and design sustainable and development education through critical lenses.

• understand the main debates around sustainable development (education) (political, historical perspectives, dimensions and competencies).

• be able to acknowledge, understand and apply postcolonial/decolonial (and other critical perspectives) on the sustainable development education.

• be able to consider global south perspectives on sustainable development education.

The course is a compulsory part of the Master's Degree Programme in Development, Education and International Cooperation. The course is also part of the specialisation module "Global and Sustainable Education" of the Master's Degree Programme in Educational Sciences.

Tikly, L. (2023) Decolonizing Education for Sustainable Futures: Some Conceptual Starting Points in Decolonizing Education for Sustainable Futures.

Open Access Books: Delivering real impact on the SDGs

Other readings and materials will be announced at the beginning of the course.