Imagining education beyond growth: A post-qualitative inquiry into the educational consequences of post-growth economic thought

Abstract

This paper explores the possible consequences for education of a transition to a post-growth society. Utilising a post-qualitative approach to inquiry, this study begins by analysing post-growth economic literature. It then connects this literature to existing educational scholarship to explore the consequences for education of a transition to a post-growth society. The analysis reveals key features and arrangements proposed in the literature for a post-growth society. It discusses the ways in which education can prepare young people for a future beyond economic growth and speculates as to how education can contribute towards the realisation of this type of society. The paper concludes that education can help prepare students for a post-growth future by focusing on the development of ecological literacy, embracing a place-based approach to education, helping students to comprehend the need for social and economic change, introducing them to a plurality of ideas about how the future might look, developing their capacity to think critically about their future, enhancing their sense of personal autonomy and capacity for self-determination, and supporting their capacity to form strong social relationships.