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Title: Critical education in resource and environmental management: Learning and empowerment for a sustainable future

Abstract

Changing rom current patterns of resource use to a sustainable and equitable economy is a complex and intractable problem. This paper suggests that critical education may form part of the solution. Critical environmental assessment (EA) education, the model explored in this paper, offers a tool for resource and environmental managers to use in managing public involvement processes. This model challenges current patterns of resource use and addresses criticisms of public involvement processes. Critical EA education, involving both cognitive development and personal empowerment, focuses on critical intelligence, problem solving and social action. The concept is offered as a means to facilitate and improve public involvement and, thereby, empower local communities to take greater control of resource use decisions affecting their lives. Positive implications of critical EA education for change, complexity, uncertainty and conflict, which are four enduring themes in resource and environmental management, are discussed in the paper. The implications include: cognitive development and personal empowerment at the level of local resource communities; simplification of the often complex discourse encountered in resource management; reduction in feelings of powerlessness often experienced by members of the public in environmental assessment scenarios; a reduction of ignorance and indeterminacy regarding resource management issues; conflict resolutionmore » at the cognitive level; and, clarification of the opposing values, interests or actions at the heart of a conflict.« less

Authors:
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Univ. of Waterloo, Ontario (CA)
OSTI Identifier:
20018969
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Journal of Environmental Management
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 57; Journal Issue: 2; Other Information: PBD: Oct 1999; Journal ID: ISSN 0301-4797
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY AND ECONOMY; ENVIRONMENTAL QUALITY; RESOURCE MANAGEMENT; EDUCATION; LEARNING; MATHEMATICAL MODELS; DATA COVARIANCES; PUBLIC OPINION

Citation Formats

Diduck, A. Critical education in resource and environmental management: Learning and empowerment for a sustainable future. United States: N. p., 1999. Web. doi:10.1006/jema.1999.0289.
Diduck, A. Critical education in resource and environmental management: Learning and empowerment for a sustainable future. United States. https://doi.org/10.1006/jema.1999.0289
Diduck, A. 1999. "Critical education in resource and environmental management: Learning and empowerment for a sustainable future". United States. https://doi.org/10.1006/jema.1999.0289.
@article{osti_20018969,
title = {Critical education in resource and environmental management: Learning and empowerment for a sustainable future},
author = {Diduck, A},
abstractNote = {Changing rom current patterns of resource use to a sustainable and equitable economy is a complex and intractable problem. This paper suggests that critical education may form part of the solution. Critical environmental assessment (EA) education, the model explored in this paper, offers a tool for resource and environmental managers to use in managing public involvement processes. This model challenges current patterns of resource use and addresses criticisms of public involvement processes. Critical EA education, involving both cognitive development and personal empowerment, focuses on critical intelligence, problem solving and social action. The concept is offered as a means to facilitate and improve public involvement and, thereby, empower local communities to take greater control of resource use decisions affecting their lives. Positive implications of critical EA education for change, complexity, uncertainty and conflict, which are four enduring themes in resource and environmental management, are discussed in the paper. The implications include: cognitive development and personal empowerment at the level of local resource communities; simplification of the often complex discourse encountered in resource management; reduction in feelings of powerlessness often experienced by members of the public in environmental assessment scenarios; a reduction of ignorance and indeterminacy regarding resource management issues; conflict resolution at the cognitive level; and, clarification of the opposing values, interests or actions at the heart of a conflict.},
doi = {10.1006/jema.1999.0289},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/20018969}, journal = {Journal of Environmental Management},
issn = {0301-4797},
number = 2,
volume = 57,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1999},
month = {Fri Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1999}
}