Drama as a transformational capability of sustainability science
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12950764 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Tony Wall (0000-0003-2334-3279, Liverpool John Moores University, corresponding author), Eva Österlind (0000-0003-0609-6595, Stockholm University), Anna Lehtonen (University of Jyväskylä), Oleksandra Khalaim (0000-0002-6947-5181, Uppsala University), Julia Fries (Stockholm University), Eva Hallgren (0000-0002-5416-8306, Stockholm University), Shelley Piasecka (0000-0002-5224-0490, University of Chester) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 21 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 435-440 |
| Publication date | 2025-10-07 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Sustainability Science (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1862-4057 • E-ISSN: 1862-4065 |
| Publisher | Springer Science+Business Media (PUBLISHER • DE) |
| DOI | 10.1007/s11625-025-01751-2 |
| OpenAlex | W4414880501 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
| References cited | 13 |
Education for sustainable development (ESD) is a foundational aspect of the transformatory capability of sustainability science at the individual and group levels. Despite international frameworks to promote and monitor the development of sustainability competences, evidence of the efficacy of ESD remains limited and even challenging. This article proposes drama-based educational approaches, as part of an increasing body of arts-based methods used in sustainability science, which materially impact a wide range of sustainability competences. Drama is a practice-based approach that intentionally uses carefully designed educational activities involving body, story, interaction, and collaboration to generate sustainability awareness, knowledge, mindsets, and action taking for individuals and groups within higher education. Examples of applied drama practices can include various forms of role play, forum play (playing out roles and pausing/fast-forwarding/reversing to explore possible solutions), and legislative theatre (where participants collaborate with lawmakers to address local issues). This article draws on an international project applying drama methods across disciplinary areas, and outlines how drama methods may contribute to sustainability competences applied in practice. As a result of this, we propose further research to inform future high-impact practices of applied drama for the field of ESD
Action (physics · Discipline · Drama · Sustainability · Sustainability science · Sustainable development · Transdisciplinarity · Transformational leadership · Environmental Education and Sustainability · Innovation, Sustainability, Human-Machine Systems · Sustainability in Higher Education
How research on communication can help to understand the management of natural resources and sustainability transformations
Meta-analyses of factors motivating climate change adaptation behaviour
Acting out of habits – can Theatre of the Oppressed promote change? Boal's theatre methods in relation to Bourdieu's concept of habitus
Key competencies in sustainability
The learning sticks’
Transformative capacities for navigating system change
Involvement matters
Theatre of the Innova(c)tors
Artists-in-residence to foster more reflective modelling practices
Transformative, transgressive social learning
| Unique citing works | 2 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 2 |
| Citation span | 2025 - 2026 (2) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 2 |