Rethinking Economics Education for Sustainable Development: A Posthumanist Practice Approach

Abstract

This conceptual paper proposes a posthumanist practice approach as an alternative onto-epistemological framework for economics education. It applies a critical literature review to examine the positivist and neoliberal foundations of mainstream economics education. We find that the prevailing economics education promotes a decontextualized and hyperrational perspective on economic phenomena and human behavior, which impedes sustainable development goals by pushing pressing socio-ecological challenges to the periphery. In response, we propose a posthumanist practice approach grounded in social practice theory, which aims to provide a more holistic, contextualized, nature-immanent, and materially mediated understanding of human behavior and economic realities. By emphasizing practical learning through knowledgeable doing, relational entanglement, and multisensory interactions, the posthumanist practice approach recognizes economic knowledge to be situated, pluralistic, and shaped by interdependent human/nonhuman relations. This opens up a more ethical and relational way of understanding, learning, and acting that helps to reconnect the social with the natural and to align economics education with the goals of sustainable development. In order to apply a posthumanist onto-epistemological foundation for economics education, we provide guidance by outlining appropriate pedagogical methods, such as diversifying learning environments, embracing community and nature engagement as well as service learning, and revising the role of educators.