Browsing by Issue Date, starting with "2025-03-04"
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- Understanding social sciences students’ perceptions of environment and nature: implications for critical thinking, reimagine socioecological futures and enriching intercultural dialoguesPublication . Alves, Fátima; Vidal, Diogo Guedes; Lourenço, Vitória; Viegas, Vanda; Filho, Walter Leal; Newman, Julie; Lange Salvia, Amanda; Viera Trevisan, Laís; Corazza, LauraThis study presents the results of a survey applied to students of the curricular unit called “Environment, Health, and Wellbeing” which is part of the undergraduate degree in Social Sciences at the Universidade Aberta (Open University), an online distance public university in Portugal. The purpose of the survey was to understand students’ perceptions of the environment and nature, as constructed in their particular sociocultural contexts. It consisted of a series of questions about their environmental perceptions, their position on the environmental crisis and a call to re-imagine future socio-ecological scenarios. The survey was applied online to a universe of 308 students, organised in 5 classes of this curricular unit. With a total of 92 responses (29.9%), the majority of responses came from females (79.8%), with an average age of 44 years old and employed. Through qualitative analysis and reference to established themes, we reveal the multifaceted nature of students’ perspectives on environmental challenges. Students are concerned about environmental issues such as climate change, pollution and loss of biodiversity and believe that these issues should be addressed through policies and regulations. They were also capable of envisioning potential futures and exploring pessimistic, realistic, and optimistic scenarios. These findings underscore the significance of acknowledging and embracing diversity in social-ecological education. They bolster the argument that adjusting educational strategies to accommodate various perspectives, identifying obstacles, fostering critical thinking, and promoting innovation can inspire contextually relevant solutions to global socio-environmental challenges. Socio-ecological education needs to resonate with a wide range of students to empower them as agents of change in our rapidly changing world.
- Everything everywhere all at once”: a methodological framework for an inclusive ecological transition pathwayPublication . Vidal, Diogo Guedes; Freitas, Helena; Alves, Fátima; Filho, Walter Leal; Newman, Julie; Lange Salvia, Amanda; Viera Trevisan, Laís; Corazza, LauraThe narrative of an ecological transition is currently widespread, representing a significant challenge facing humanity. While the need for this transition is evident, our research proposal is centered around a fundamental question: How can we ensure that the ecological transition is not only environmentally responsible but also equitable and inclusive, considering the unique characteristics of various contexts to ensure that no one, whether human or non-human, is left behind in the process? Leveraging our expertise gained from the PHOENIX H2020 project, this study aims to introduce, discuss, and reflect upon a methodological framework designed to identify the biophysical, socio-cultural, economic, and legal aspects of a given territory. This comprehensive approach is intended to foster an equitable and inclusive transition. The research encompasses 11 pilot contexts across seven European countries and employs a mix of secondary and primary data sources. The application of the methodological proposal unfolds in 4 four main/distinct phases: (i) identification of the major socioenvironmental concerns and challenges related to the EGD transition pathway in each pilot territory according to stakeholder’s information; (ii) structures-level analysis to understand how Nature and Environment are represented within a country’s legal framework and to identify the biophysical characteristics of the territory, both acting as drivers or barriers to the ecological transition; (iii) agency/intersubjectivity analysis to analyse the social perceptions about Nature and the Environment of a diverse range of target groups, such as local authorities, civil society organizations, the scientific community, economic activity representatives, and citizens; (iv) cross-referencing the three previous information phases to identify the opportunities, risks and vulnerabilities for the ecological transition in each pilot. Through a thorough exploration of this methodological framework, and by addressing the challenges and potentials it presents, our goal is to provide a robust scheme that places value on the unique socio-cultural and biophysical characteristics of each context. By doing so, we aim to develop and propose a methodological framework that embrace a wide range of stakeholders, fostering an ecological transition that challenges the one-size-fits-all approach that has been traditionally employed, valuing the socio-cultural and biophysical specificities of each of the contexts in order to find participation tools that leave no one behind (humans and non-humans).