Rethinking Global Education for Sustainability: Learning from East Asia’s Relational Turn

We have seen an emergence of transformative food studies as part of sustainability transitions. While some scholars have successfully opened up their experiences of pursuing transformation through scholar-activism, assumptions underlying researchers' choices and how scholars orient to and go about their work often remain implicit. In this article, we bring forth a practice theoretical understanding of knowledge production and advocate that researchers turn to examining their own research practice. We ask how to make our own academic knowledge production/research practice more explicit, and why it is important to do so in the context of transformative food studies. To help scholars to reflect on their own research practice, we mobilize the framework of practical activity (FPA). We draw on our own experiences in academia and use our ethnographic studies on self-reliant food production and procurement to illustrate academic knowledge production. Thus, this article provides conceptual and methodological tools for reflection on academic research practice and knowledge production. We argue that it is important for researchers to turn to and improve their own academic practice because it advances academic knowledge production in the domain of transformative food studies and beyond. While we position ourselves within the qualitative research tradition, we believe that the insights of this article can be applied more broadly in different research fields and across various methodological approaches.

In recent decades, non-Western philosophical resources have gained increasing attention in the field of philosophy of education. However, two aspects of this growing body of works focusing on East Asian intellectual traditions stand out. First, when East Asian intellectual traditions are drawn upon, most often the works selected are from 'ancient' times, rather than from the modern period. Second, the comparative studies are often restricted to dialogues between East Asian and Western philosophers, while the conversation between different East Asian philosophers and traditions is less developed. As such, in the present paper, I seek to highlight the existing conversation between two modern intellectual traditions in China and Japan, namely the Kyoto School (京都学派) and New Confucianism (新儒家) and in doing so, discuss their possible contribution to the contemporary discourse of philosophy of education. I will first examine Japanese scholar Asakura Tomomi's (朝倉友海) attempt to synthesize Kyoto School and New Confucianism into 'East Asian philosophy' based on their connection with Tiantai Buddhism. Then, I will critically discuss and advance Asakura's approach based on the shared 'transculturality' of the two schools. By focusing on the common concern for modernity shared by the two schools, I suggest that the discourse around modernity and postmodernity can become a field wherein New Confucianism, Kyoto School and contemporary Western philosophies can have in-depth conversations and develop practical implications for educational studies.

Causal layered analysis (CLA) is an emerging qualitative methodology adopted in the discipline of planning as an approach to deconstruct complex social issues. With psychologists increasingly confronted with complex, and "wicked" social and community issues, we argue that the discipline of psychology would benefit from adopting CLA as an analytical method. Until now, the application of CLA for data interpretation has generally been poorly defined and overwhelming for the novice. In this paper we propose an approach to CLA that provides a method for the deconstruction and analysis of complex social psychological issues. We introduce CLA as a qualitative methodology well suited for psychology, introduce the epistemological foundations of CLA, define a space for it adoption within the discipline, and, outline the steps for conducting a CLA using an applied example.

An Integral extension of causal layered analysis

Exploring the impact of technological disruptions in the automotive retail: A futures studies and systems thinking approach based on causal layered analysis and causal loop diagram

“Multiple Attribute Decision Making (MADM)” is an expert based field which is working based on real data and experts’ opinions. So many studies have been doing based on MADM methods which they usually use qualitative data based on experts’ ideas. Decisions based on the experts’ opinion shall be carefully designed to cope the real problems uncertainty. This uncertainty will be even more intricate if combining the problem with the ambiguity of the future study. Prospective MADM is a future based type of MADM field which is concentrating on decision making and policy making about the future. Prospective MADM (PMADM) can have both explorative and descriptive paradigms in the studies but it will more useful to be applied for strategic planning. In this regard, experts’ role would be even more challenging because one/some possible future/futures will be partially designed based on their opinions. Future and prediction always complicates the decision environment, especially methodologies founded on experts’ judgement. Considering experts’ preferences, attitude, and background, they may be a major source of inaccurate results. Causal Layered Analysis (CLA) is well-known “Futures Studies” method which is qualitative and usually is supporting other methods such as “Backcasting” and “Scenario Planning”. CLA has a deep point of view to the subjects to support a future with all those changes which are necessary for the main goal/goals. In this study, this idea will be proposed that CLA can be added to PMADM outline to decrease the risk of unsuitable decisions for the future and for this aim a case study about energy and CO2 consumption in policy making level proposed and a hybrid MADM method based on BWM-CoCoSo applied in the PMADM outline for the procedure.

Purpose: To facilitate futures business research by proposing a novel way to combine business models as a conceptual tool with futures research techniques. Design: A futures perspective is adopted to foresight business models of the Internet of Things (IoT) enabled healthcare sector by using business models as a futures business research tool. In doing so, business models is coupled with one of the most prominent foresight methodologies, Causal Layered Analysis (CLA). Qualitative analysis provides deeper understanding of the phenomenon through the layers of CLA; litany, social causes, worldview and myth. Findings: It is di cult to predict the far future for a technology oriented sector like healthcare. This paper presents three scenarios for short-, medium- and long-term future. Based on these scenarios we also present a set of business model elements for different future time frames. This paper shows a way to combine business models with CLA, a foresight methodology; in order to apply business models in futures business research. Besides offering early results for futures business research, this study proposes a conceptual space to work with individual business models for managerial stakeholders. Originality / Value: Much research on business models has offered conceptualization of the phenomenon, innovation through business model and transformation of business models. However, existing literature does not o er much on using business model as a futures research tool. Enabled by futures thinking, we collected key business model elements and building blocks for the futures market and ana- lyzed them through the CLA framework.

Testing transformative energy scenarios through causal layered analysis gaming

Causal layered analysis (CLA) is a key tool for Deep Futures approach, which is seen by numerous experts as a prospective trend in evolution of Foresight studies. It reveals hidden basic prerequisites for actual incidents thus providing an information basis for the making efficient decisions.The paper considers the nature, features and possibilities of CLA drawing on the works of French philosophers Gilles Deleuze and Felix Guattari who offer the organic metaphor of the rhizome as a way to understand the hybrid and multiple nature of reality. In this relation it argues that CLA is a method of the multiple that offers a process-theory of knowledge that facilitates new becomings and alternative futures. It makes the case that agency and social learning are enhanced through understanding human contexts as layered and dynamic. CLA is an ideal vehicle for articulating this insight and enabling futures practitioners in their work to empower stakeholders to realise their preferred futures.Concepts have effects and therefore can be understood best through application and reflection. CLA’s uses can be in the academic sphere as taxonomy or in the applied sphere of process method in which it functions pedagogically as a critical facilitator of libratory consciousness and the social learning. Thus it treats any singular projection of reality with suspicion, instead embracing the plural as the creative inversion of given context. In this way structure becomes flexible and open to transformation whilst agency finds itself located in structure so as to critique and influence it in ways that make it more reflective of optimal current and future possibilities.

Background: Despite many studies on suicide, the causation remains ambiguous, and there is a necessity for new all-inclusive methodology. Causal layer analysis (CLA) is a relatively new technique to deeply explore the etiologies of suicide in Iran.Methods: Causal layered analysis (CLA) combines empirical, interpretative, critical, and action research methods in comprehensive hierarchical layers of causality, like an iceberg. Layers begin from the first observable layer called litany to the deeper underneath layers, including systemic, worldview, and metaphor. In the litany layer, the general appearance of suicide in Iran was extracted through published evidence. In the systemic layer, observed quantitative results of litany was interpreted based on the short-term historical facts by conducting 30 semi-structured interviews with experts. In the worldview layer, 40 deep interviews with suicide attempt cases, 10 focus-groups among adolescents, and 20 semi-structured interviews with nurses and experts were conducted. In the myth and metaphor layer, the Persian poetry of the last century was studied and suicide notes and stories were reviewed.Results: Three causal models of CLA 1 (self-burning of women as an objection to the closed society), CLA 2 (duality of parent’s addiction- divorce), CLA 3 (suicide as a reaction to the identity crisis) were extracted.Conclusion: Macrohistorical changes such as war, urbanization, and modernity have confronted the new the new generation with distinctive and unexpected realities in life, which are not similar to their dreams and old stories. Suicide is a reaction to this silent inner battle between old metaphors and new realities.

Narratives of the future can be seen as a form of colonialisation, structuring fields of discourse, in a process which Johan Galtung (cited in Andersson, 2006) refers to as ‘chronological imperialism’. However, futures narratives can also be used to disrupt these attempts at colonialisation through surfacing problematic assumptions in order to explore alternative scenarios. In this paper I first consider modal narratives and possible worlds and their relevance to the social sciences. I then discuss Sohail Inayatullah's ‘Causal Layered Analysis’ (CLA) - a narrative technique for constructing past and present and imagining the future. CLA draws on a ‘poststructural toolbox’ to examine problematic issues using a process which focuses on four levels of analysis: litany (the official public description of the issue); social science analysis (which attempts to articulate causal variables); discourse analysis or prevailing worldview; and myth/metaphor analysis. The aim is to disrupt current discourses which have become sedimented into practice and so open up space for the construction of alternative scenarios. In the third part I demonstrate how this approach can be used to examine ‘big issues’ taking as my example the current preoccupation with troubled and troublesome youth.

Organismes habilités à procéder aux contrôles du benzène de l’atmosphère

Theory and practice in transformation: The disowned futures of Integral extension

From metaphoric litany text to scenarios—How to use metaphors in futures studies

The social context of Natural Resource Management (NRM) in Australia is now considered to be a major contributing factor behind the success or failure of landscape improvement programmes. This paper investigates NRM social issues via an alternative interpretative method, Causal Layered Analysis (CLA). CLA was utilised in nine focus groups, comprising landholders and staff from NRM regional bodies in central west New South Wales. A multitude of stakeholder concerns emerged, particularly regarding the concept of sustainability and confusion over roles and responsibilities. We propose that continued use of CLA by those in the local catchment community can help overcome complexity in the social landscape and lead to more engaged and empowered communities.