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Knowledge for sustainable development: A worldviews perspective

Author

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  • Maarten Van Opstal
  • Jean Huge

Abstract

A huge tension exists between recognizing sustainable development (SD) as a meta-discourse and accepting a limitless interpretational width. We analyse the impacts of diversity of worldviews on the interpretation of SD-as a knowledge-based concept-through a critical literature review, resulting in recommendations on the topic. We apply a social-constructionist approach, appreciating the complex socio-ecological interactions at the heart of SD. Only recently worldviews are recognized as constitutive elements of SD. Little attention has been given to the impacts on generated knowledge for SD. Variety of worldviews induces a variety of knowledge claims and needs. To retain SD's 'universal' appeal as practical decision-guiding strategy for policy and action, we propose an integrative approach towards knowledge for SD-entailing an explicit pluralization of knowledge. SD should be re-interpreted as a joint worldviews construct, embracing a diversity of views in collaborative research and co-production of knowledge. Interpreting SD as a joint endeavour is necessary to overcome historical obstacles like cultural hegemony and a hierarchy of knowledge systems. We identified the following requirements for an inclusive knowledge for SD paradigm: re-interpretation of SD as a worldview constructs in progress; interpretative flexibility; co-production of knowledge; subjectivity awareness and self-reflexivity; respect for a diversity of worldviews/knowledges; identifying shared goals; collaborative research; a systems approach; transdisciplinarity; and recognition of contextuality. Further research-concerning potential methodologies and typologies-to reconcile variety of worldviews and knowledge systems in a joint SD worldviews construct is urgently needed. © 2012 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.

Suggested Citation

  • Maarten Van Opstal & Jean Huge, 2013. "Knowledge for sustainable development: A worldviews perspective," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/184399, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    • Handle: RePEc:ulb:ulbeco:2013/184399
    Note: SCOPUS: re.j
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    Cited by:

    1. Velasco-Herrejón, Paola & Bauwens, Thomas & Calisto Friant, Martin, 2022. "Challenging dominant sustainability worldviews on the energy transition: Lessons from Indigenous communities in Mexico and a plea for pluriversal technologies," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    2. Ting Guan & Ke Meng & Wei Liu & Lan Xue, 2019. "Public Attitudes toward Sustainable Development Goals: Evidence from Five Chinese Cities," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(20), pages 1-20, October.
    3. Elvis Modikela Nkoana & Aviel Verbruggen & Jean Huge, 2018. "Climate change adaptation tools at the community level: An integrated literature review," ULB Institutional Repository 2013/269477, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    4. Sara Gottenhuber & Eric Mulholland, 2020. "Implementing the Sustainable Development Goals in Times of Rising Right-Wing Populism in Europe," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(20), pages 1-14, October.
    5. Samuel Howard Quartey, 2019. "Geographies of Knowledge and Sustainable Development: Towards a Conceptual Model with Research Propositions," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 10(2), pages 878-897, June.
    6. Dian Charity Hidayat & Kosuke Mizuno & Chairil Abdini Abidin Said & Herdis Herdiansyah, 2023. "Implementation Framework for Transformation of Peat Ecosystems to Support Food Security," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-17, February.
    7. Jean Hugé & Nibedita Mukherjee & Camille Fertel & Jean-Philippe Waaub & Thomas Block & Tom Waas & Nico Koedam & Farid Dahdouh-Guebas, 2015. "Conceptualizing the Effectiveness of Sustainability Assessment in Development Cooperation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(5), pages 1-17, May.
    8. Elvis Modikela Nkoana & Aviel Verbruggen & Jean Hugé, 2018. "Climate Change Adaptation Tools at the Community Level: An Integrated Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-21, March.
    9. Yared Nigussie Demssie & Harm J. A. Biemans & Renate Wesselink & Martin Mulder, 2020. "Combining Indigenous Knowledge and Modern Education to Foster Sustainability Competencies: Towards a Set of Learning Design Principles," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-20, August.
    10. Sophie Urmetzer & Michael P. Schlaile & Kristina B. Bogner & Matthias Mueller & Andreas Pyka, 2018. "Exploring the Dedicated Knowledge Base of a Transformation towards a Sustainable Bioeconomy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-22, May.
    11. Svatava Janoušková & Tomáš Hák & Vlastimil Nečas & Bedřich Moldan, 2019. "Sustainable Development—A Poorly Communicated Concept by Mass Media. Another Challenge for SDGs?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(11), pages 1-20, June.
    12. Isabel Ruiz-Mallén & María Heras, 2020. "What Sustainability? Higher Education Institutions’ Pathways to Reach the Agenda 2030 Goals," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-18, February.

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