Scholars Unite to Rethink Education in the Age of Climate Crisis

Events of Art and Education in Post-climate Times Launched at CPEP Office

On September 17th, the CPEP office hosted the launch of the thought-provoking book Events of Art and Education in Post-climate Times, edited by Carl Anders Säfström (Maynooth University) and Glenn Loughran (TU Dublin). The event witnessed an assembly of distinguished voices from education, philosophy, and climate discourse through which ideas were richly exchanged on how art and education might respond to the urgent challenges confronting our world. 
The launch commenced with a powerful opening addressed by Dr Angela Rickard (Maynooth University), who set the tone of the afternoon by discussing the importance of the book within the climate crisis today. Contributors Sharon Todd and Gert Biesta (Maynooth University), along with Leif Östman (Uppsala University), each presented perspectives from their chapters as to how education could be seen as a space for resistance, imagining, and renewing.

The editors talked about their contributions, emphasising transdisciplinary thinking and the responsibilities of educators in shaping just responses to environmental destruction. Their chapters, alongside others in the book, challenge readers to reassess the boundaries of established disciplines and embrace alternative ways of living and knowing within the Anthropocene epoch. The book itself stands as a call to action, as it titles and elaborates on how art and education can act together, resisting climate change and environmental destruction through dialogue, peaceful, non-violent resistance, creative engagements, and the courage to bring forth the good life. This features what the editors refer to as "transcritical engagements," melding both shared and unshared perspectives to provoke thought and initiate collective action.

The contributors are well-known figures in the professional field: Carl Anders Säfström stands as a venerable scholar in educational philosophy, while Glenn Loughran garners a reputation in critical pedagogy and art-based research. Sharon Todd and Gert Biesta have long contributed to the debates on ethics and democratic education, while Leif Östman is an arrival carrying a formidable background in environmental education and practical philosophy.

The event was attended by academics, students, and members of the broader community, many of whom remarked upon the book's relevant message. The air became reflective and hopeful, enlivened by discussions following the presentations. Educators were particularly taken by the idea that education must expand its focus beyond merely technical solutions and be ready to work on deeper cultural and ethical shifts. For those interested in further exploring these ideas, the book is available through the publisher's website. Use the discount code 25AFLY3 to get a 20% discount on the purchase price. The ISBN and publisher details for the book are available online.

In conclusion, the launch of Events of Art and Education in Post-climate Times was more than a celebration of a new publication; it was a reminder that education and art are strong change agents. In the face of the climate crisis becoming more serious day by day, this book is a thoughtful guide for all who wish to respond with imagination, courage, and care.

Editor’s Note:

In an age when climate change has already become an everyday reality rather than a distant threat, launching Events of Art and Education in Post-climate Times could hardly be better timed. This book does exactly what far too few academic texts dare deliver: challenge the status quo, not with alarmism but with deep imagination and courageous responsibility. The editors, Carl Anders Säfström and Glenn Loughran, have enhanced a chorus that refuses to view education as unspotted neutral territory; rather, they have campaigned justifiably for resistance, regeneration, and ethical positioning within education. The linkage between art and education as necessary partners in resisting environmental degradation has not one iota of motivation; it is pure necessity. Perhaps most impressive at the launch was the combined realisation that technological fixes alone would not save us. The climate crisis calls us to social transformation, philosophical reflection, and creative action. The contributors, each steeped in educational thought, offered more than theory; they offered pathways toward hope. This book is not for scholars only. It is for teachers, artists, students, and everyone who believes that learning should help make our lives better rather than just work harder. A call to reconsider how we teach, how we create, and how we respond to the world around us.

Skoobuzz highlights that at a time when hopelessness is all too often the dominant voice in climate conversation, Events of Art and Education in Post-climate Times reminds us that resistance can be peaceful, that change can be imaginative, and that education can be transformative.

FAQs

1. What is the role of art in climate change education? 
Art helps people understand climate change in emotional and creative ways. It can show the damage being done to the planet and inspire action. Through painting, music, film, and other forms, art makes the issue feel real and personal. It also encourages people to imagine better futures and think about how they can help.

2. How can education respond to the climate crisis? 
Education can teach people about the causes and effects of climate change. More importantly, it can help them think critically, act responsibly, and work together to find solutions. Schools and universities can create spaces where students learn not just facts, but also values like care, respect, and courage. Education should prepare people to live well and make thoughtful choices in a changing world.

3. What is post-climate pedagogy? 
Post-climate pedagogy is a way of teaching that looks at life after climate change has already started affecting us. It focuses on how we can learn to live differently, with more care for nature and each other. It brings together ideas from different subjects,like science, art, and philosophy,to help students understand the world and take action. It also encourages deep thinking and creative problem-solving.

4. Who are Carl Anders Säfström and Glenn Loughran? 
Carl Anders Säfström is a professor at Maynooth University, known for his work in educational philosophy. He writes about how education can help people live meaningful lives. Glenn Loughran teaches at TU Dublin and works in critical pedagogy and art-based research. Both are editors of the book Events of Art and Education in Post-climate Times, which explores how education and art can respond to climate change.

5. How can education support non-violent resistance to climate change? 
Education can help people understand the harm caused by climate change and give them peaceful ways to respond. It can teach students to speak up, work together, and use creativity to challenge harmful systems. By encouraging care, fairness, and imagination, education can guide people to take action without violence—through dialogue, art, and community efforts.