50 years of environmental research from a European perspective

ABSTRACT

A recently reported EE example is taken to raise the fundamental and lasting question how education might respond to the gap between efforts in changing individual behavior and perceived absent political progress in changing structural conditions. In a first part, historical developments since 1969, predominantly focused on changing individual behavior, are traced from a personal and contextual view. In a second part, turning points and implications for EE research are shown. In the final part, the EE example is taken up again and it is discussed how structural changes on intermediate levels offer opportunities for in-depth exploration and research.

KEYWORDS:

• changing individual behavior
• changing structural conditions
• historical developments
• EE research approaches