Contemplative Methods in Sustainability

Catalog description

Proponents of contemplative practices suggest that they: 1) help practitioners more effectively identify the core nature of complex problems such as global change in the Anthropocene, 2) foster creative responses that may go beyond conventional Western academic, political, or cultural approaches to sustainability, and 3) promote resilience in the face of interconnected environmental and social challenges. The course is intended as a laboratory to explore, through readings and direct engagement, a range of practices aimed at cultivating clarity, responsiveness, and resilience. While sustainability work often focuses on external systems—policies, technologies, and science—this course examines its inner dimensions, exploring how awareness, reflection, and emotional resilience support thoughtful action. Students will explore techniques such as slowing down and meditation—not as abstract contemplative exercises, but as tools for sharpening critical thinking, enhancing decision-making, and sustaining longterm engagement with complex problems. They will also examine emotions such as grief, guilt, hope, and fear as important aspects of how individuals and societies both respond to and, at times, reinforce unsustainable systems. The course also considers Indigenous perspectives on sustainability and navigating disruptive challenges. Rather than advocating for any single approach, this course provides an opportunity to explore how contemplative methods might contribute to greater clarity, creativity, and resilience in sustainability work.