Lunch-time seminar—Averting Collapse: Contemplating Earth-Centered Education and Transgressive Learning in Times of Global Dysfunction, with Prof. Arjen E. J. Wals

On 6 November 2025, we are pleased to invite you to the public seminar with Professor Arjen E. J. Wals, entitled Averting Collapse: Contemplating Earth-Centered Education and Transgressive Learning in Times of Global Dysfunction.

Prof. Wals, internationally recognised for his work on transformative education and ecopedagogy, will examine the social, environmental, ecological, and ethical crises that characterise the contemporary world, questioning Western and neoliberal paradigms rooted in economic growth and individualism.

The seminar will explore the role of education as a space for relational awareness, resistance, and transgressive learning, proposing a paradigm of Earth-centred education, inspired by Daoist, ecopedagogical, and Bildung principles.

Through this perspective, the event aims to reflect on the contribution of education to the development of an ethic of care and a deeper connection with ecosystems, as well as on the ethical and political implications of such approaches for the formation of critical and conscious citizens.

The seminar will offer valuable insights for students, researchers, and anyone interested in sustainability, transformative education, and the ecology of learning, fostering interdisciplinary dialogue on the educational challenges of our time.

The event will take place in Sala Apollo, Via Zamboni 38, Bologna, from 11:00 to 13:00.
The seminar will be held in English.
Attendance is free and open to all; no registration is required.