Education for sustainable development among rich and poor: didactical responses to biopolitical differentiation

Abstract

Previous literature informed by biopolitical theory has shown how global education for sustainable development differentiates between populations by assigning different roles, responsibilities, and lifestyles to rich and poor. Taking these arguments as a point of departure, this paper first identifies three different ‘problems’ pertaining to biopolitical differentiation within this literature and then elaborates on potential didactical responses to such problematic differentiation. The suggested didactical responses draw on Judith Butler’s theories of vulnerability, Jacques Rancière’s ideas of a presupposition of equality, and Michel Foucault’s writing on ethics and self-formation. The paper contributes to previous research on biopolitical differentiation in education for sustainable development by suggesting potential didactical responses to the problematics put forth in these works. It also contributes to previous literature on how Butler’s, Rancière’s and Foucault’s theories are relevant to education by relocating the arguments to the context of global implementation of education for sustainable development.