Group 1 | Anthropocene, Sustainability and Development

Coordination: Jorge Trindade; Vice-coordination: Célia Ferreira e Cristina Vieira

Presentation

The Group’s general objective, by reflecting on how we relate to the “other” (be it human, animal or nature), the type of social development we advocate and the reasons and consequences of the environmental crisis, is the scientific production that allows us to respond to the social, environmental and organizational challenges in the context of the Anthropocene and globalization, embodied in four axes: critical reflection on the meaning and narratives of development and sustainability; analysis of global and local changes; personal transformations (inner changes); policies and implementation of sustainable development.

We give visibility to questions that lie at the heart of humanity’s current crossroads,namely what does it mean to live in the “age of humans”? How do we relate to the environment on a global and local scale? How do we organize ourselves to care for the common good and build social and climate cohesion and justice? How do we intersect the plurality of narratives about well-being, sustainability and development with more institutional global discourses, such as the Sustainable Development Goals? And how do we implement them taking into account the diversity of social, cultural and political perspectives and contexts? What actors, actions and tools do we need to mobilize in order to establish a new social-ecological contract? How can the environmental, social and human sciences inform understanding and help solve these challenges? Through transdisciplinary scientific research, we seek to contribute to: the promotion of scientific advancement that spills over into teaching and research replication; assisting decision-making in policy contexts at national or local levels; fostering discussion, public participation and co-creation of knowledge, raising awareness and contributing to intra- and intergenerational sustainability.

The group welcomes researchers with these common interests from the fields of Environmental Sciences, Social Sciences, Economics/Management and the Humanities, as well from intersectional areas of study, such as Gender Studies, Anthropocene Studies, Postcolonial Studies, Contemplative Studies, Peace Studies, among others.

Objectives

  • To critically reflect on the notion of “development” and humanity’s relationship with natural systems and the global world.
  • To analyse the relationship of human activities with the functioning and resilience of ecosystems.
  • To explore the concepts and politics of sustainability, development, subjective well-being and happiness in the context of geographical, social and political diversity.
  • To propose pathways for personal, social and organisational transformation towards sustainability at different levels and scales.
  • To encourage methodological approaches and transdisciplinary action strategies that contribute to the advancement of knowledge on sustainability and development.
  • To promote discussion around economic models, international trade and business management that respect the planet’s biophysical limits and social cohesion.
  • To contribute with knowledge that may assist the operationalisation of the Sustainable Development Goals for the United Nations 2030 Agenda.

Projects and initiatives

  • Book in the Global Studies Collection, Coimbra University Press (in the pipeline).
  • Assessing Literacy for Sustainability in Higher Education.
  • Development of new modules in Sulitest – related to the assessment of competencies in sustainable development.
  • EUSTEPs: “Enhancing Universities’ Sustainability Teaching and Practices through Ecological Footprint”. Strategic Partnership in Higher Education, Agreement No. 2019 – 1- EL01-KA203-062941.
  • “CRESTING CiRcular Economy: SusTainability Implications and guidING progress”. H2020-MSCA-ITN-2017.
  • “Análisis y Diagnóstico de las nuevas competencias de innovación sostenible requeridas en el perfil de los estudiantes de empresariales en la Universidad Autonoma de Madrid. Redes de Investigación para la Innovación Docente”. Faculty of Economic and Business Sciences, Autonomous University of Madrid.