Action Research for a Sustainable Future?

Climate change, scarcity of natural resources, destruction of livelihoods and the increase in migration movements and armed conflicts are consequences of a wasteful culture of 25 percent of people at the expense of 75 percent of the world's population. Ways to deal differently with nature and people are sought.

As with human rights, sustainable development may be regarded as a "regulatory idea“. Such ideas give direction to research and learning processes. In terms of sustainability, this implies that the contradictions, dilemmas, and conflicting goals and values need to be constantly renegotiated in a process of discourse between participants in concrete situations. These negotiation processes implie a great challenge but also have considerable potential to enhance learning and innovative developments in education. The theses is, that such processes offer a fertile ground for Action Research.

Environmental and Sustainability Education (ESE) for transformative learning correspond with the principles of action research. Both concepts define a reflexive shaping of society as a target perspective. Knowledge, development, and empowerment are three central categories to which both action research and ESE refer. The central reference category for both can be seen in a concept of learning and education that unfolds in an autonomous, networked, and research reflective confrontation with the world. These thoughts will be elaborated in the lecture and also reflected upon in the discussion of practical examples.