Ecosocial education

Five theses as a solution to the educational challenges of the Anthropocene

Authors

• Sami Keto Tampereen yliopisto
• Raisa Foster Itä-Suomen yliopisto
• Jani Pulkki Tampereen yliopisto
• Arto O. Itä-Suomen yliopisto
• Veli-Matti Värri Tampereen yliopisto

DOI: https://doi.org/10.33350/ka.111741

Keywords:

ecosocial education, ecosocialization, ecoindividuation, antropocene, multispecies

Abstract

In this article, we formulate theoretical starting points, principles, and goals for ecosocial education. The theorizing of ecosocial education in the context of the Anthropocene is problematic because the Anthropocene as a concept appears to be contradictory. Humans should be able to see more clearly the effects of their actions on the environment, but at the same time, they should see equally clearly the justification for the presence of other life as well as the agency of that other life.. The Anthropocene period can be considered to have created a need for a more detailed understanding of the interaction between humans and other life, and therefore the focus of our review is a multispecies perspective. Our starting point is eco-social thinking, i.e., a world interpretation that emphasizes the essential intertwining of ecological and social reality. We base our draft of ecosocial education especially on identifying the processes of ecosocialization and ecoindividuation and combining the theories that describe them. Through these, we formulate five theses to define the goals of ecosocial education. In addition to cognitive goals, we put forth that senses, emotions, and empathy play a significant role in education. Finally, we present how ecosocial education could support the integration of a multispecies perspective into education practices.