Microsoft Word - 00 b Editorial comment fin.doc Conference  notice   vi C o n f e r e n c e N o t i c e The Faculty of Education at the University of the Free State announces the colloquium on SOCIAL JUSTICE AND THE CREATION OF SUSTAINABLE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS: A TRANSDISCIPLINARY APPROACH On 29 - 31 October 2013 Colloquium [NO REGISTRATION FEE REQUIRED] Abstract due June 30, 2013 and Full papers August 31, 2013 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are supposed to build onto the achievements of the Millennium Developments Goals (2015 – 2030) as they focus on ensuring environmental sustainability, economic development and social inclusivity for all. These goals suggest a transdisciplinary approach, encompassing the natural sciences, economic and management sciences as well as human and social sciences. This implied trans- disciplinarity is not limited to different subject matter handled in an integrated manner or similar subject content handled differently, but research methodologies covering this wide spectrum of specialisms crossing the boundaries of disciplinary divide. This colloquium will thus focus on these intersections and thus invites theorists, researchers and practitioners of ‘knowledge work’ and beyond to interrogate the relationship(s) that exist(s) between sustainable learning environments on the one hand and social justice on the other because there seems to be ways in which the two though different refer to the same processes or are embedded within one another. Sustainable Learning Environments, taking their cue from the United Nations’ SDGs refer to ways in which settings, from the cradle to retirement advance the agenda for equity, social justice, freedom, peace and hope. Sustainable learning environments aim at enabling all human beings to explore and exploit their potentialities to the fullest so that they can become contributing members of a democracy. It is only when this possibility exists that inequality; unemployment and poverty that still plague our nation can be addressed. Sustainable learning environments and social justice challenge hegemony in social policies and natural sciences practices, advocates educational reform and societal structures that move towards equity rather than marginalisation. The colloquium welcomes submissions of abstracts and papers on which authors could map out the intersection between sustainable learning environments and social justice related topics, which include, but are not limited to the following streams: 1. How Sustainable Learning Environments and Social Justice interact to inform Curriculum, Teaching and Learning? 2. Intersection of Sustainable Learning Environments and Social Justice in the choice of transformatory and emancipatory research approaches in the natural sciences, economic and management sciences as well as the social and human sciences. 3. The intersection in understanding and theorising issues of geographic spaces like rurality versus urban. 4. Theorising and understanding gender, socio-economic status, disability, creed, sexuality and HIV/AIDS education etc.? While it is preferred that papers are related to the theme of the colloquium, we encourage the submission of papers that consider other important perspectives that are relevant to sustainable learning environments and social justice across the wide knowledge spectrum. Call for abstracts: Abstract due July 30, 2013 and Full papers August 31, 2013 Guidelines and instructions: • All authors interested in presenting papers are invited to submit an abstract as an e-mail attachment. • All abstracts should be in MS-Word format, and should include a name (s) of the author(s), e-mail address(es), contact details, and institutional affiliation (s). • Please also indicate, if there are multiple authors, who will be presenting. • The maximum length is 300 words including keyword(s). • Please indicate the Stream of the presentation. Submission electronically mail to: Ms Christa Duvenhage