Changing Worldviews: The Role of Religious Values and Ethics in the Sustainability Debate

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Despite its ramifications for social issues the primary focus in the sustainability discourse is the integration of environmental protection with economic development. The term sustainability in its immediate understanding still applies to economic redirection to realize better environmental objectives and digresses little beyond that. Outside academic discourses there is little conceptualization of other dimensions of sustainability. One aspect of the sustainability debate that has received little attention is the principles around which most of our activities are organized. Yet these are situated in all facets of our actions and grounded in many values across cultures, traditions, religions and ways of life. Looking at the changing normative of worldviews, this paper examines the role of religious values and ethics in the sustainability debate. Vast majorities of the world population subscribe to some ethical and moral traditions to which many now turn as emerging global crises require a reorienting in addressing economic and environmental directions. Do these have a role to play in the way in which we now go about creating a “better” world?

Stream: Cultural Sustainability

Paper: A paper has not yet been submitted.

Currently doing a PhD looking at challenges facing Muslim women especially since 9/11; my Master’s thesis was focused on culturally appropriate, value-based strategies in domestic violence alleviation for the Muslim community in Western Australia. After obtaining my Bachelor's (Hons) in Economics from Kingston University in the UK, I worked as an Economics teacher at a high school in Kenya. I have also worked as a settlement officer with Muslim refugee and humanitarian entrants in WA and volunteer on several committees.