Education for sustainable development networks, potential and challenge: a critical reflection on the formation of the Caribbean Regional Network

Abstract

In this paper we seek to reflect critically on the process of establishing a Caribbean Network for the reorientation of teacher education to address sustainability. We begin by addressing the origin and purpose/value of the network. As a sub‐network of the UNITWIN/UNESCO International Network for the Reorientation of Teacher Education to Address Sustainability and as a Caribbean initiative for the UN Decade of Education for Sustainable Development (2005–2014), the Network has faced many challenges since its inception in 2004–2005. In critically reflecting on these challenges, we identify and focus on major foundational problems for any ESD network. In particular, there is the challenge of how an alliance deals with multiple subject positions, an issue which the existing literature on networks appears to have neglected, yet one which is crucial especially for nations whose subjectivities have been threatened. Exploring the concepts of non‐alignment and the in‐between space the paper proposes a way in which this problem and others can be effectively addressed.