How Can Degrowth Be a Powerful Driver for Educational Change – Seen from a Nordic Point of View?

Abstract

The article’s ambition is to illuminate the central arguments of the degrowth movement and analyze how these arguments might be relevant within the context of Nordic education. Applying the concept of topos – shared knowledge within a community – the article aims to provide an overview of recurring themes and lines of argument related to degrowth in education. The research problem here is the lack of clarity regarding how degrowth principles are understood, taught, and reflected in Nordic educational contexts. To investigate this, the article poses two key research questions: How are the education-related thinking patterns of degrowth reflected in Nordic education research? How do education-related thinking patterns of degrowth interact with Nordic educational philosophies? The article aims to answer these questions by comparing arguments related to degrowth with those related to Nordic educational philosophies and practices. It will use a two-step empirical approach to analyze the current state of degrowth-related education research in the Nordic region. The study concludes by discussing potential reasons for the limited research on this topic and outlining future research directions.

Keywords

• degrowth
• convivialist
• Nordic education
• pedagogy
• education research