Education as Critical Infrastructure in the Anthropocene: An Anthropological Transition
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.57125/FED.2026.06.02Keywords:
Anthropocene, anthropology, education, transition, critical entity, crisis management, ethics.Abstract
This paper examines the transition to the Anthropocene as a significant anthropological change that challenges current approaches to understanding human agency, responsibility, and societal change. It argues that existing models of individual, organisational, and societal transitions do not adequately address the complexities of this new epoch, characterised by unprecedented ecological risks and interconnectedness. Drawing on the literature on the Anthropocene, transitions theory, EU conceptualisations of critical infrastructures, and recent work on emergent and relational infrastructures, this study develops a conceptual argument that recognises education as a critical infrastructure and schools as critical entities fostering community awareness and resilience. The practical value of this argument is that, by integrating environmental and social justice concerns, education can help stakeholders navigate the Anthropocene, including its colonial legacies. Ultimately, the paper calls for a reimagining of education and anthropology to cultivate new ethics of care, responsibility, and plural worldviews necessary for sustaining both human and more-than-human futures.
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