Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Critical Realism: A Philosophical Framework for Higher Education for Sustainability

  • Chapter
Higher Education and the Challenge of Sustainability

Conclusion

Dialectics and critical realism do then offer a philosophy that transcends the limits of mainstream, Marxist and postmodern environmentalisms, acknowledges their achievements, and allows the construction of a new grand narrative of sustainability that both relegitimates and radicalises modernity (Gare, 1995; Jencks 1996; Myerson, 2001). This is a narrative about the co-evolution of society and the rest of nature, their generative qualities, and the need for improved rationality and governance so that tendencies towards self organisation and complexity can lead towards greater sustainability. It allows students and teachers of HEfS to see themselves as part of an unfinished story and provides an overarching rationale for curriculum development and interdisciplinary.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Preview

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.

References

  • Archer, M., Bhaskar, R., Collier, A., Lawson, T., & Norrie, A. (Eds.) (1998). Critical realism: essential readings. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barry, J. (1996). Sustainability, Political Judgement and Citizenship: Connecting Green Politics and Democracy. In: B. Doherty & M. de Geus (Eds.), Democracy and Green Political Thought. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Barry, J. (1999). Environment and Social Theory. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beck, U. (1992). Risk Society. London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Beck, U., Giddens, A. & Lash, S. (1994). Reflexive Modernisation: Politics, Tradition and Aesthetics in the Modern Social Order. Cambridge: Polity.

    Google Scholar 

  • Blowers, A. (1997). Environmental Policy: Ecological Modernisation and Risk Society, Urban Studies, 54/5–6, 845–71.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bourke, S. & Meppem, T. (2000). Privileged Narratives and Fictions of Consent in Environmental Discourse, Local Environment, 5/3, 299–310.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Braun, B. & Castree, N. (Eds.) (1998). Remaking Reality: nature at the millennium. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Castells, M., Flecha, R., Freire, P., Giroux, H.A., Macedo, D. & Willis, P. (1999). Critical Education in the New Information Age. Oxford: Rowman & Littlefield.

    Google Scholar 

  • Castree, N. (2000). Marxism and the Production of Nature, Capital and Class, 72, 5–36.

    Google Scholar 

  • Castree, N. & Braun, B. (Eds.) (2001). Social Nature: Theory, Practice, and Politics. Oxford: Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Christie, I. & Warburton, D. (Eds.) (2001). From Here to Sustainability: Politics in the Real World. London: Earthscan.

    Google Scholar 

  • Collier, A. (1994). Critical Realism, an introduction to Roy Bhaskar’s philosophy. London: Verso.

    Google Scholar 

  • Corson, D. (1991). Bhaskar’s Critical Realism and Educational Knowledge, British Journal of Sociology of Education, 12/2, 223–241.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cornforth, M. (1987). Materialism and the Dialectical Method. London: Lawrence & Wishart.

    Google Scholar 

  • Crowe, R. (2002). No Scruples? London: Spiro Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eden, S. (1998). Environmental Knowledge, Uncertainty and the Environment, Progress in Human Geography, 22/3, 425–432.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dickens, P. (1996). Reconstructing Nature, Alienation, Emancipation and the Division of Labour. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dickens, P. (1997). Beyond sociology: Marxism and the environment. In: M. Redclift & G. Woodgate (Eds.), op. cit., pp. 179–194.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dordoy, A. & Mellor, M. (2000). Ecosocialism and Feminism: Deep Materialism and the Contradictions of Capitalism, Capitalism Nature Socialism, 11/3, 41–61.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dryzek, J. (1997). The Politics of the Earth. Oxford: Oxford University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gare, A. (1995). Postmodernism and the Environmental Crisis. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gadotti, M. (1996). Pedagogy of Praxis: a dialectical philosophy of education. New York: SUNY.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gandy, M. (1996). Crumbling Land: the postmodernity debate and the analysis of environmental problems, Progress in Human Geography, 20/1, 23–40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Giroux, H. (1999). Border Youth, Difference and Postmodern Education. In: M. Castells, R. Flecha, P. Freire, H. A. Giroux, D. Macedo, & P. Willis, (1999) op. cit. pp. 93–116.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goldblatt, D. (1996). Social Theory and the Environment. Cambridge: Polity.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartmann, F. (1998). Towards a Social Ecological Politics of Sustainability. In: R. Keil, D. Bell, P. Pentz & L. Fawcett (Eds.) op. cit., pp. 336–352.

    Google Scholar 

  • Harvey, D. (1996). Justice, Nature and the Geography of Difference. Oxford: Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Held, D. (1995). Democracy and the Global Order, from the modern state to cosmopolitan governance. Cambridge: Polity.

    Google Scholar 

  • Held, D., McGrew, A., Goldblatt, D. & Perraton, J. (1999). Global Transformations: Politics, Economy and Culture. Cambridge: Polity.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huckle, J. (1996). Teacher Education. In: J. Huckle & S. Sterling (Eds.) Education for Sustainability, London, Earthscan, pp. 105–119.

    Google Scholar 

  • Huckle, J. & Martin, A. (2001). Environments in a Changing World, Harlow, Prentice Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Irwin, A. (1995). Citizen Science. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Janse van Rensburg, E., Lotz, H., Du Toit, D., Mhoney, K. & Oliver C. (2000). Learning for Sustainability: an environmental education professional development case study informing education policy and practice. Johannesburg: Learning for Sustainability Project.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jencks, C. (1996). What is Post-Modernism? London: Academy Editions.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnston, R. (1989). Environmental Problems, nature, economy and state. London: Bellhaven.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jones, P.C. & Merritt, J.Q. (1999). The TALESSI Project: promoting active learning for interdisciplinarity, values awareness and critical thinking in environmental higher education, Journal of Geography in Higher Education, 23/3, 335–348.

    Google Scholar 

  • Keil, R., Bell, D., Pentz, P. & Fawcett, L. (Eds.) (1998). Political Ecology: global and local. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Klein, N. (2000). No Logo. London: Flamingo.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lewin, R. (1997). Complexity: life on the edge of chaos. London: Phoenix.

    Google Scholar 

  • Little, A. (1998). Post-industrial Socialism: towards a new politics of welfare. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Luke, T. W. (2001). Education, Environment and Sustainability: what are the issues, where to intervene, what must be done?, Journal of Philosophy of Education, 33/2, 187–202.

    Google Scholar 

  • Macalister, T. (2002). MP leads call for corporate ethics bill, The Guardian, 13.6.02, p. 24.

    Google Scholar 

  • Manson, S. (2001). Simplifying complexity: a review of complexity theory, Geoforum, 32/3, 405–414.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Myerson, G. (2001). Ecology and the End of Postmodernity. Cambridge: Icon Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Parker, S. (1997). Reflective Teaching in the Postmodern World: a manifesto for education in postmodernity. Buckingham: Open University Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pepper, D. (1993). Eco-socialism, from Deep Ecology to Social Justice. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pepper, D. (1996). Modern Environmentalism: an introduction. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pepper, D. & O’Keefe (2000). Series editors’ preface. In J. Barry (2000) op. cit.

    Google Scholar 

  • Proctor, J.D. (1998). The Social Construction of Nature: Relativist Accusations, Pragmatist and Critical Realist Responses, Annals of the Association of American Geographers, 88/3, 352–376.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Redclift, M. (1987). Sustainable Development: exploring the contradictions. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Redclift, M. & Woodgate, G. (Eds.) (1997). The International Handbook of Environmental Sociology, Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sachs, W. (1997). Sustainable Development. In M. Redclift & G. Woodgate (Eds.), op.cit., pp. 71–82.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sachs, W. (1999). Planet Dialectics; explorations in environment and development. London: Zed Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, N. (1984). Uneven Development; nature, capital and the production of space. Oxford: Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, N. (1996). The Production of Nature. In: G. Robertson, M. Mash, L. Tickner, J. Bird, B. Curtis & T. Putnam (Eds.), Future Natural: nature, science, culture. London: Routledge, pp. 35–54.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sneddon, C.S. (2000). Sustainability in ecological economics, ecology and livelihoods: a review, Progress in Human Geography, 24/4, 521–549.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Soper, K. (1995). What is Nature? Culture, politics and the non-human. Oxford: Blackwell.

    Google Scholar 

  • Soper, K. (1999). The Politics of Nature: reflections on hedonism, progress and ecology, Capitalism Nature Socialism, 10/2, 47–70.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Swift, R. (Ed.) (1999). Mind Games, the rise of corporate propaganda, The New Internationalist, July.

    Google Scholar 

  • Walker, P. (1998). Politics of Nature: An Overview of Political Ecology, Capitalism Nature Socialism, 9/1, 126–131.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Authors
  1. John Huckle
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Florida Gulf Coast University, Florida, USA

    Peter Blaze Corcoran

  2. Wageningen University, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    Arjen E. J. Wals

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2004 Kluwer Academic Publishers

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Huckle, J. (2004). Critical Realism: A Philosophical Framework for Higher Education for Sustainability. In: Corcoran, P.B., Wals, A.E.J. (eds) Higher Education and the Challenge of Sustainability. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-48515-X_4

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/0-306-48515-X_4

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4020-2026-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-306-48515-2

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation