This paper outlines the main differences between ecocentric and anthropocentric positions in regard to justice, exploring university students’ perceptions of the concepts of social and ecological justice and reflecting on how values assigned to humans and the environment are balanced and contested. Putting justice for people before the environment is based on evidence that biological conservation can disadvantage local communities; the idea that the very notion of justice is framed by humans and therefore remains a human issue; and the assumption that humans have a higher value than other species. Putting justice for the environment first assumes that only an ecocentric ethic guarantees protection of all species, including humans, and therefore ecological justice already guarantees social justice. This research shows that many students emphasize the convergence of social and ecological justice where human and environmental interests correspond. While not wishing to diminish the underlying assumptions of either ethical orientation, the common “enemy” of both vulnerable communities and nonhuman nature, as identified by students, is an ideology of economic growth and industrial development. http://dx.doi.org/10.13135/2384-8677/2688 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helenkopnina/
MULTIFILE
Stefan Bengtsson's commentary about policy hegemony discusses the alternative discourses of socialism, nationalism, and globalism. However, Stefan does not adequately demonstrate how these discourses can overcome the Dominant Western Worldview (DWW), which is imbued with anthropocentrism. It will be argued here that most policy choices promoting sustainability, and education for it, are made within a predetermined system in which the already limiting notion of environmental protection is highly contingent on human welfare. What would really contest the dominant assumptions of Vietnamese policy and, more specifically, education for sustainable development (ESD) is an alternative discourse that challenges the DWW. That alternative discourse embraces philosophical ecocentrism and practices of ecological justice between all species, and deep ecology theory - all perspectives fundamentally committed to environmental protection. https://doi.org/10.1080/00958964.2015.1048502 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helenkopnina/
MULTIFILE
This article will briefly discuss the implications of the recognition of ecological justice in relation to environmental education (EE) and education for sustainable development (ESD). It is argued that the present conception of environment taught through EE and ESD negates the subjectivity of non-human species and ignores the ethical imperatives of ecological justice. Evocating environmental ethics, major directions integrating ecological justice into EE and ESD are proposed. This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in "Chinese Journal of Population, Resources and Environment" on 09/23/14, available online: https://doi.org/10.1080/10042857.2014.933498 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helenkopnina/
MULTIFILE
Dit project onderzoekt ontwikkelperspectieven voor de krimpende stad door het realiseren van de Degrowth Daily, een themakrant over Degrowth en de krimpende stad. Tot nu toe wordt de ‘krimpende stad’ vooral als probleem neergezet en is er weinig aandacht voor alternatieve ontwikkelingsperspectieven. Twee vragen staan centraal in dit project: in hoeverre biedt Degrowth een ontwikkelperspectief voor de krimpende stad? En in hoeverre is de krimpende stad geschikt als proeftuin voor praktijken van Degrowth? Het startpunt van het project vormt de notie dat zowel Degrowth als de krimpende stad groei als het dominante ontwikkelingsparadigma in onze samenleving bevragen. De één doet dit vanuit economisch en ecologisch perspectief, de ander vanuit stedenbouwkundigperspectief. Het concept Degrowth raakt de laatste jaren steeds meer in zwang, getuige een toenemende stroom aan academische publicaties, conferenties en andersoortige initiatieven. Er is echter nog weinig over Degrowth vanuit stedenbouwkundig perspectief geschreven. Dit project bouwt voort op het concept ‘kleiner groeien’ (Hermans, 2016) en onderzoekt in hoeverre dit concept mogelijkheden biedt te werken aan een perspectief van “environmental sustainability, social justice and well-being”. De twee onderzoeksvragen worden geadresseerd middels een gerichte literatuurstudie De vondsten hieruit worden getoetst doormiddel van actieonderzoek in de “krimpregio” Parkstad-Limburg. Aan de hand van een focusgroep, interviews en een stakeholder engagement workshop brengt dit onderzoek diverse stakeholder perspectieven samen. Deze perspectieven worden aan de hand van diverse vertelvormen gepresenteerd in de themakrant Degrowth Daily. Deze krant beoogt het maatschappelijke en wetenschappelijke debat over perspectieven voor ‘de krimpende stad’ te verbreden.
The project ‘Towards resilient leisure, tourism and hospitality (LTH) ecosystems in Europe’ addresses the critical problem of unsustainable practices in the tourism and travel industry. The LTH industry is ‘back on track’ after recovering from the global Covid-19 crisis. Destinations show increased numbers of international arrivals and rapid growth of tourism-related revenues. It is foreseen that cities like Amsterdam, but also vulnerable natural areas, will receive record numbers of visitors in the coming decade. The dominant economic model operating within the industry nonetheless prioritizes short-term gains, resulting in extreme exploitation of resources, labour, and local communities, evidenced by negative impacts in European destinations like Venice and the Canary Islands. The project aims to shift the industry’s focus to long-term sustainability, addressing systemic constraints and facilitating a transition that aligns with European priorities for a sustainable and just future. It builds vital connections between regional, national, and European research priorities by addressing and advocating for climate and social justice. Regionally, it investigates best practices across diverse tourism environments in Finland, Spain, Sweden, the UK, Scotland, and The Netherlands. Nationally, it challenges the status quo by proposing alternative governance frameworks that individual countries could adopt to encourage sustainable tourism practices. On a European scale, the project aligns with EU goals of climate action and sustainable development, supporting objectives of the European Green Deal and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It aims to build solid theoretical foundations necessary for a transition towards more resilient and environmentally and socially inclusive LTH ecosystems. Through integrating insights from multiple regions, the project transcends local boundaries and offers scalable solutions that can influence policy and industry standards at both national and European levels. The project's transdisciplinary nature ensures that proposed solutions are grounded in diverse eco-socioeconomic contexts, making them robust and adaptable.
