The transcendentalist roots of sustainability
Ralph Waldo Emerson and the precedent for the Sustainable Development Goals education
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 21428045 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Abdelkrim Dekhakhena (0000-0003-0354-9130, 8 May 1945 Guelma University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 56 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 166-177 |
| Publication date | 2025-03-04 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | The Journal of Environmental Education (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0095-8964 • E-ISSN: 1940-1892 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/00958964.2024.2402531 |
| OpenAlex | W4402639181 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 15 |
The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a framework for global development priorities focused on improving human well-being while protecting the environment. Though a modern initiative, the conceptual roots of sustainability and many SDG themes can be traced back over a century. This paper examines the 19th-century Transcendentalist movement and the writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson, which established a philosophical and ethical foundation closely aligned with sustainable development values. The study begins with an introduction and a brief background on the UN SDGs, followed by an overview of Transcendentalism and Emerson’s contributions. Emerson’s core principles and values—emphasis on nature, simplicity, self-reliance, and moral obligation—are explored in detail, demonstrating their parallels with the 17 SDGs. The paper then argues that Emersonian philosophy provides a foundational framework for sustainability, offering a unique perspective on integrating these transcendentalist insights into sustainability education. This study shows how American intellectual traditions anticipated today’s environmental requirements, emphasizing transcendentalism’s long-term influence and impact on achieving the Sustainable Development Goals. The study offers a unique viewpoint on sustainability by considering transcendentalism’s lasting effect and potential contribution to attaining the SDGs
Aesthetics · Art · Education for sustainable development · Environmental education · Environmental ethics · Pedagogy · Political science · Social science · Sociology · Sustainability · Sustainable development · Critical and Liberation Pedagogy · Ecology · Environmental, Ecological, and Cultural Studies · Law · Philosophy · Religion, Ecology, and Ethics
Social change and modernity
Five pillars for stakeholder analyses in sustainability transformations
The Imperatives of Sustainable Development
Thoreau, Leopold, and Carson
Emerson for the Twenty-First Century
Achieving transformative sustainability learning
The Nature Relatedness Scale
Mr. Emerson's Revolution
| Citations per year | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |