Literary Studies and the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Abstract

This article positions the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and their adoption by universities as guiding principles within the context of the employability discourse. Through a decolonial analysis of the language of key SDGs, this article investigates the potential impacts of the SDGs on university literary studies. We argue that while the SDGs have undoubtedly broadened the discourse beyond the bluntness of employability in a manner that can empower HASS subjects, they also echo the neoliberal approach to university education evidenced by employability. We conclude that despite their neoliberal and colonial origins, the SDGs present a unique opportunity for literary studies to contribute to anti-liberal and decolonial efforts.