RIS ID

87614

Publication Details

Andersen, P. (2013). While we are talking about environmental justice, let's give children a voice. In K. Druffel (Eds.), Looking Within: Finding an Environmental Justice and Global Citizenship Lens (pp. 103-113). Oxford, United Kingdom: Inter-Disciplinary Press.

Abstract

As governments, communities and individuals grapple with how to deal with the avalanche of negative news regarding the environment, children are often left out of the decision-making processes. Traditional Western schooling is still dominated by the 'banking' method of teaching, in which knowledge is deposited into the minds of the children under an adult-centric educational paradigm. As a step toward achieving justice for children, educators need to reverse the traditional model of intergenerational influence by furnishing children with the chances, tools and skills to influence those around them, including adults, to live more sustainable lives. This chapter will highlight the plight of children in Western society and the findings of a research project conducted as part of a doctoral thesis, titled, 'Children as environmental change agents: using a shared protocol to bring about or support environmentally responsible behaviour in the family home.' Analysed through the lens of a critical researcher, the data reveals a number of key findings; children can indeed be environmental change agents, capable of leading their families, schools and communities toward a more sustainable future; however, the road to justice for children is a complex one, with many societal forces to be contended with along the way.

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