Reframing European ESD's with Pluralism in Times of Global Disalignment

Thomas Østergaard

Abstract

The European educational landscape faces an epistemic and institutional crisis as the imperatives of the European Green Deal and Circular Economy Action Plan collide with entrenched disciplinary traditions and market-oriented logics in higher and vocational education. (European Commission, 2022)

This presentation synthesizes findings from the TEACH4SD ESD Roadmap (Deliverable 1.2, 2025), theorizing the epistemic and pedagogical pluralism encountered during the project’s formative stages.

Drawing on Knorr-Cetina’s (1999) theory of epistemic cultures, this study interprets the TEACH4SD findings as an experiment in negotiating competing worldviews within education, industry, and policy domains. The article concludes by proposing epistemic pluralism as a necessary condition for sustainability education in a post-global consensus era.

Original language	English
Publication date	19 Jan 2026
Publication status	Accepted/In press - 19 Jan 2026
Event	CenSE Research Week 2026 - Odisee, University of Applied Sciences: TEACH4SD EU SUMMIT - Odisée University of Applied Sciences, Warmoesberg 26, Brussel, Belgium Duration: 9 Mar 2026 → 11 Mar 2026 https://www.odisee.be/en/research-week-2026-teach4sd-eu-summit

Conference

Conference	CenSE Research Week 2026 - Odisee, University of Applied Sciences
Location	Odisée University of Applied Sciences, Warmoesberg 26
Country/Territory	Belgium
City	Brussel
Period	09/03/26 → 11/03/26
Internet address	https://www.odisee.be/en/research-week-2026-teach4sd-eu-summit

Keywords

aesthetics, design and media
education, professions and jobs
learning, educational science and teaching
research designs, theory and method

Access to Document

Reframing the Educational LandscapeLicence: CC BY-ND

Cite this

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title = "Reframing European ESD's with Pluralism in Times of Global Disalignment",

abstract = "The European educational landscape faces an epistemic and institutional crisis as the imperatives of the European Green Deal and Circular Economy Action Plan collide with entrenched disciplinary traditions and market-oriented logics in higher and vocational education. (European Commission, 2022) This presentation synthesizes findings from the TEACH4SD ESD Roadmap (Deliverable 1.2, 2025), theorizing the epistemic and pedagogical pluralism encountered during the project{\textquoteright}s formative stages. Drawing on Knorr-Cetina{\textquoteright}s (1999) theory of epistemic cultures, this study interprets the TEACH4SD findings as an experiment in negotiating competing worldviews within education, industry, and policy domains. The article concludes by proposing epistemic pluralism as a necessary condition for sustainability education in a post-global consensus era. ",

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N2 - The European educational landscape faces an epistemic and institutional crisis as the imperatives of the European Green Deal and Circular Economy Action Plan collide with entrenched disciplinary traditions and market-oriented logics in higher and vocational education. (European Commission, 2022) This presentation synthesizes findings from the TEACH4SD ESD Roadmap (Deliverable 1.2, 2025), theorizing the epistemic and pedagogical pluralism encountered during the project’s formative stages. Drawing on Knorr-Cetina’s (1999) theory of epistemic cultures, this study interprets the TEACH4SD findings as an experiment in negotiating competing worldviews within education, industry, and policy domains. The article concludes by proposing epistemic pluralism as a necessary condition for sustainability education in a post-global consensus era.

AB - The European educational landscape faces an epistemic and institutional crisis as the imperatives of the European Green Deal and Circular Economy Action Plan collide with entrenched disciplinary traditions and market-oriented logics in higher and vocational education. (European Commission, 2022) This presentation synthesizes findings from the TEACH4SD ESD Roadmap (Deliverable 1.2, 2025), theorizing the epistemic and pedagogical pluralism encountered during the project’s formative stages. Drawing on Knorr-Cetina’s (1999) theory of epistemic cultures, this study interprets the TEACH4SD findings as an experiment in negotiating competing worldviews within education, industry, and policy domains. The article concludes by proposing epistemic pluralism as a necessary condition for sustainability education in a post-global consensus era.

KW - aesthetics, design and media

KW - education, professions and jobs

KW - learning, educational science and teaching

KW - research designs, theory and method

M3 - Abstract

T2 - CenSE Research Week 2026 - Odisee, University of Applied Sciences

Y2 - 9 March 2026 through 11 March 2026

ER -