I'm not sure if this is the same as cultural sustainability, but definitely connected. What is it about culture that makes it sustainable? Or, specifically, what is it about OUR culture that makes in NOT sustainable? I think there are many answers to this and many of them obvious, but some not so much. The fact that it is based on consumption is a big part of it. And the media plays a big role in the development of this culture. I think media literacy will be an important component of a curriculum that helps students investigate their culture's sustainability. There are some great sources out there for this, and very engaging for students. Some are in Rethinking Globalization, which is an excellent resource for this project in general. There's also the the Adbusters Media Foundation and their work with 'culture jamming.' They're a little artsy and radical, but very exciting and important. I believe they also organized the Occupy movement, but I'm not sure about that.
Speaking of Occupy, I think another important contributor to the unsustainability of our culture is the rampant inequality and injustice. I just read about a great curriculum coming out in the fall called Perspectives for a Diverse America. It's on page 21 of the current issue of Teaching Tolerance. It's based on teaching social justice, and has many excellent components we should look at for this project. For example, close ties to the Common Core, which make it very practical. There's also going to be a lot of flexibility, with many resources available to pick and choose from based on the teacher's specific goals and classes. They are building an online anthology, which will be a "goldmine of rich text".. We should also look at the standards they're creating and the 'integrated learning plan' which spans from basic literacy skills to critical dialogue and action/advocacy--something we need students to develop if we want our country/culture to make the shift toward sustainability..
Speaking of Occupy, I think another important contributor to the unsustainability of our culture is the rampant inequality and injustice. I just read about a great curriculum coming out in the fall called Perspectives for a Diverse America. It's on page 21 of the current issue of Teaching Tolerance. It's based on teaching social justice, and has many excellent components we should look at for this project. For example, close ties to the Common Core, which make it very practical. There's also going to be a lot of flexibility, with many resources available to pick and choose from based on the teacher's specific goals and classes. They are building an online anthology, which will be a "goldmine of rich text".. We should also look at the standards they're creating and the 'integrated learning plan' which spans from basic literacy skills to critical dialogue and action/advocacy--something we need students to develop if we want our country/culture to make the shift toward sustainability..
As an Cultural Anthropology fan I like to think about how other cultures think and what makes them more sustainable. One of my favorite Anthropologists is Wade Davis, and I think his books could be a valuable part of an 'anthology' we create. They span very nicely from exciting VooDoo zombie action to cultural wisdom and ecological crises--and they're all non-fiction, which is Common Core friendly.. His books are pushing the boundaries of 'creative non-fiction' because his experiences are so submersed in other cultures they are difficult to imagine and believe. This could be a great way to hold a mirror to our culture and its lack of spiritual substance, connection to the earth, etc.
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