EDUCATION
Our education activities on the role of inner dimensions and transformation in sustainability include courses on 'Sustainability and Inner Transformation', 'Psychology and Climate Change', PhD education and contemplative teaching activities, such as Practice Labs and Councils. All educational activities are linked to our research activities and address the linkages between individual and collective transformation, norms, policy and systems change.
Sustainability and Inner Transformation Course
The purpose of the course is to critically assess the role of inner dimensions and transformation for sustainability. It allows students to i) develop a critical understanding of the potential interlinkages between inner dimensions and sustainability; ii) assess and apply inner transformation theories and practices in relation to specific sustainability fields (e.g. climate mitigation, adaptation, sustainable consumption); and iii) engage and critically reflect on the nature of inner transformation and its salience in sustainability science and education.
Voices - Testimonials
The course is running yearly since 2018 and has received increasing interest (see also related front-page story in one of the biggest Swedish newspapers).
LUMES students: “The course definitively changed me”; “I learned about solid theories and tools regarding the connections between sustainability and inner dimensions”; “It was the best course I've taken in my life. It combined personal development (leadership, self-awareness, my own values and skills) with our academic choice (sustainability). “The course was the missing piece in the [sustainability] puzzle”; “It was amazing to have so many different perspectives. Truly an interdisciplinary course." “Inner transition is a growing field and is essential in sustainability. Our course has been an amazing pioneer"; “I am so thankful I could be the first of an amazing group of students to take this course.!”; "Thanks for the opportunity, I hope it continues forever.”
Prof. Karen O’Brien, Oslo University, Norway, and lecturer on the course in 2018: “This is probably the only one of its kind … It is a really great way to go into things that are not often touched upon or talked about.” (13/11/2018)
Ass. Prof. Chris Ives, Nottingham University, UK, and external lecturer on the course: “Interiority and spirituality is a sphere which has been underrecognised in sustainability, and this is one course that is really driving that forward. I have not seen anything like that around the world… at this cutting edge, and exciting research and learning.” (20/11/2018)
Practice Labs & Ways of Council
To experiment and validate our new teaching approaches for sustainability education, in 2015 we designed our first Experimental Learning Lab. Today, we have a continuous Practice Lab, conducted in parallel to the 'Sustainability and Inner Transformation' course. It is intended to be an unconventional classroom component, disrupting the traditional model of teaching and learning in the hope of offering something that is more transformative for students and teachers alike. In parallel, councils are offered with a focus on deep listening and understanding. Since 2020, students have also access to a ‘Transformative Learning & Reflection Space’ and related tools/ resources.
Learning through Reflexive Case Studies
We conduct reflexive case studies (including pre- and post-course evaluations, surveys and group discussions) to constantly assess our new teaching approaches and activities. The Programme's education and research activities are thus closely linked and designed in order to build on each other.
Publications related to our education activities can be found here.
New course on Psychology & Climate Change
In 2022, the Lund University Department of Psychology and the Centre for Sustainability Studies (LUCSUS) have jointly developed a new interdisciplinary course on 'Psychology and Climate Change' (see related news). It explores the ways our changing climate affect individuals and groups, including climate distress and its consequences, the psychological and behavioral factors that can drive the climate crises, and the theories and practices that can support skillful action across individual, collective and system levels.
PhD and Post-doc Education
LUCSUS has a long standing tradition of hosting PhD/ post-doc graduates from different disciplinary backgrounds within the field of sustainability. In the context of the Contemplative Sustainable Futures Program, post-doc Oscar Kjell is working part-time for the research projects TransVision and CCChange. In 2023, Jessica Böhme finalised her PhD under the supervision of Prof. Christine Wamsler, and Gustav Osberg has initiated his PhD studies. For more information see here.