Key competencies, complex systems thinking, and economics education for sustainability

Dennis Badeen

International Journal of Pluralism and Economics Education, 2019, vol. 10, issue 1, 103-117

Abstract: The concept of key competencies is an important element of education for sustainability. The cornerstone of key competencies is complex systems thinking. Most who argue for the integration of key competencies into various learning processes also suggest that such integration requires critical reflection on traditional paradigms in various disciplines. This article examines the ramifications of such integration as it pertains to economics. It is argued that key competencies can be learned by studying and applying Peter Söderbaum's institutional ecological economics because it is based on complex systems thinking. It is also argued that traditional neoclassical environmental economics is not suited for the task because it is based on simple systems thinking. The article concludes with some thoughts regarding how case studies can be used to teach key competencies.

Keywords: education for sustainability; key competencies; institutional ecological economics; neoclassical-environmental economics; complex systems thinking; economics education. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.inderscience.com/link.php?id=98171 (text/html)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ids:ijplur:v:10:y:2019:i:1:p:103-117

Access Statistics for this article

More articles in International Journal of Pluralism and Economics Education from Inderscience Enterprises Ltd
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sarah Parker ().