Call for Papers | Issue 8(2026): Sustainability, Ethics and Education
Call for Papers
Sustainability, Ethics and Education
Editorial by I. Haaz
Sustainability has become one of the defining concerns of our time. Biodiversity is a condition for life on Earth, yet human activity—through overextraction, pollution, deforestation, and industrial expansion—has accelerated environmental degradation and mass extinction. Whether framed in terms of the Anthropocene or as a longer history of human ecological engineering, the scale and speed of current transformations raise urgent ethical and educational questions. While some narratives naturalize human dominance by projecting today’s crises onto prehistory, such accounts risk relativizing responsibility. This call invites contributions that critically examine sustainability as a normative, institutional, and pedagogical challenge.
Sustainability is often described as the integration of three spheres: socio-political, economic, and ecological. Yet this “weak” conception assumes that these domains are separate and merely need coordination. A stronger view sees them as mutually embedded, requiring a reordering of values rather than simple balancing. How should priorities be set when economic growth, social development, and environmental protection compete? Is utilitarian cost–benefit reasoning sufficient, or must leadership introduce a thicker ethical layer grounded in virtue, responsibility, and long-term care? We welcome philosophical, empirical, and interdisciplinary approaches that address the axiological foundations of sustainability and the problem of value integration.
The UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) once offered a shared global benchmark. Today, critics argue that their integrative model lacks conceptual precision and remains overly anthropocentric. Does this criticism undermine the framework, or does it instead call for methodological refinement? What roles should expert panels, collective action processes, and educational institutions play in shaping sustainable governance? Contributions may explore the relationship between subject (decision-makers, experts, citizens) and method (consensus-building, evidence hierarchies, deliberative models), rather than focusing solely on policy outputs.
Justice remains central. Classical principles such as the No-Harm Principle, distributive justice, and the Polluter Pays Principle (PPP) require reassessment in light of ecological risk. Simply compensating for pollution may miss deeper structural inequalities. Alternative models, such as burden-sharing justice, consider historical benefits, capacity to pay, and differentiated responsibilities across regions and generations. How should environmental costs be allocated in a world of uneven development, geopolitical tension, and technological change? Papers may address climate justice, intergenerational responsibility, transitional justice, and the ethical limits of market-based solutions.
The precautionary principle presents a further dilemma. While designed to prevent irreversible harm, it may also discourage innovation or foster technocratic control. Critics argue that scientific progress advances through disagreement rather than consensus. What is the epistemic status of consensus in sustainability science? How should dissent be treated in climate research, public health, or food safety debates? We encourage submissions that analyze the sociology of knowledge, the hierarchy of evidence (from randomized controlled trials to expert opinion), and the role of structured methods such as the Delphi technique in shaping policy and education.
Public controversy often amplifies sustainability debates. Climate change, genetically modified crops, and vaccination policies illustrate how public interest generates both legitimate concern and epistemic confusion. When evidence is complex and technical, criticism becomes morally and intellectually demanding. How can education cultivate critical literacy without fueling distrust of expertise? What distinguishes constructive disagreement from destabilizing scepticism? We invite reflections on the relationship between scientific authority, democratic participation, and media dynamics.
Institutions of higher education play a pivotal role. Beyond teaching sustainability narratives, universities must evaluate their own governance, legitimacy, and long-term resilience. This includes aligning short- and medium-term duties with long-term ecological commitments. Research institutions operate at the intersection of scientific rigor and executive leadership; tensions between epistemic standards and strategic decision-making deserve careful study. How can universities balance top-down governance with bottom-up engagement? What competencies are required—not only specialized sustainability expertise, but also general managerial literacy in sustainable development?
Engagement with industry and civil society further complicates this landscape. Organizations increasingly seek sustainability professionals while expecting all leaders to possess baseline competence in environmental responsibility. At the same time, reputational risks such as greenwashing threaten institutional integrity. Where is the line between aspirational commitment and misleading communication? How can stakeholder partnerships genuinely advance systemic change rather than simulate compliance?
Finally, sustainability is not merely a curricular theme but a transformative practice. It requires cultivating responsible citizens, resilient institutions, and adaptive economies. Context matters: geographical, cultural, and political differences demand pragmatic assessment rather than one-size-fits-all solutions. Experts remain essential, yet expertise must be balanced with cognitive diversity and cross-disciplinary dialogue. Consensus and dissensus may function as complementary forces in a reflective equilibrium that advances knowledge while preserving openness.
We invite theoretical, empirical, and practice-oriented papers that address the ethical foundations, governance structures, epistemic challenges, and educational implications of sustainability. Contributions may draw from philosophy, law, political theory, economics, environmental science, sociology, education studies, or management research. By bringing together diverse perspectives, this issue aims to deepen understanding of sustainability as a long-term normative project—one that demands courage, intellectual rigor, and institutional responsibility.
