Research project Climate change - developing social science teaching for advancing knowledge, action and hope
This research project aims to develop teaching in social science education that addresses solutions, and develop hope and action with the youth.
Project description
The climate change concerns of modern youth are manifested in the Greta Thunberg movement #FridaysForFuture, and a recent report shows that youth want political action (UNDP, 2021). Additionally, ‘constructive hope’ is important to meet the challenge of climate change as it leads to engagement and willingness to act (Ojala, 2015).
This project seeks to meet three educational challenges on climate change: i) education has privileged natural science subjects; ii) has not focused on understanding of interconnectedness between society and nature, and iii) has not addressed action and hope. We acknowledge that economic literacy enables students to evaluate alternative possibilities, and the assumptions necessary for the acceptance of proposals on economic polices (e.g. flight taxation) (Mansbridge 2004). This is the rationale for looking to social science education in compulsory schooling, and develop teaching in economic, political and legislative domains, that builds students’ knowledge concerning which choices merit action and hope. Interventions will be designed together with teachers and implemented using a Design Research approach.
Project members
Project managers
Cecilia Lundholm
Professor
Members
Caroline Ignell
Senior lecturer
Peter Davies
Professor
Sverker Jagers
Professor
