Emotions in the discussion of sustainability issues

Special Issue with the participation of the UR 

Emotions are increasingly becoming the focus of scholarly and pedagogical debates in environmental and sustainability education (ESE). In the face of global crises such as climate change, learners and educators are confronted with intense emotional experiences that can both foster engagement and the capacity for action and trigger feelings of being overwhelmed, withdrawal, or ambivalence. Research findings paint a complex and at times contradictory picture, necessitating an in-depth examination from the perspective of educational science.

The special issue “Emotions in Environmental and Sustainability Education – Theoretical, Methodological, and Empirical Developments” aims to systematically synthesize existing research on emotions in ESE, further develop theoretical frameworks, and identify new perspectives for research and practice. The focus is particularly on educational approaches that examine emotions as part of learning, educational, and socialization processes in formal, non-formal, and informal learning contexts and relate individual, collective, and societal dimensions.

As part of the international research network EMESER (Emotions and Sustainability in Educational Processes), the University of Regensburg is a member of the editorial team for this special issue. In this way, the University of Regensburg actively contributes its expertise on emotions, education, and sustainability to the further development of this still-emerging field of research and strengthens international scholarly exchange between research and educational practice.

Further information on the special issue and its main topics is available here.  (external link, opens in a new window)