Themes
Conference Themes
Decolonizing Sustainability Knowledge and Practice
This theme problematizes the West-centric perspectives of environmentalism. We welcome papers that consider how legacies of coloniality continue to inform sustainability policies and strategies as well as move toward “unlearning” such models in order to make space for alternative, pluralistic cosmographies.
Local Knowledge in ASEAN
This theme seeks to answer the question: How local knowledge can offer resilience solutions to modern ecological crisis while assuring these communities’ intellectual property rights.
Community-Based and Participatory Sustainability Initiatives
This theme showcases grassroots initiatives, social enterprises and community-based conservation projects. It involves the papers discussing the processes that enable local actors to define their own development agendas.
ASEAN Socio-Cultural Identity and Sustainable Development
This theme focuses on the question: What does it mean to “be ASEAN” in terms of the environment, and what is the role of regional identity, values shared, and cultural heritage in motivating sustainable action in member states.
Critiques and Reflections on the SDGs from ASEAN Perspectives
Although the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) offer a universal agenda, they may not necessarily mirror what is happening on the ground in Southeast Asia. This track encourages a critical consideration of the relevance and successes or failures of the SDGs in relation to the region.
Moving Beyond the 2030 Agenda: Post-SDG Futures for ASEAN
What happens next as we approach the 2030 deadline? This theme calls for papers discussing post-SDG frameworks, with regenerative development, degrowth and long-term regional resilience at the core.
Education, Language, Culture, and Sustainability
Sustainability cannot be achieved if people are left behind due to linguistic or cultural barriers. This theme focuses on the role of mother-tongue-based multilingual education (MTB-MLE), the preservation of minority languages, and the integration of cultural literacy into environmental education.