The Textbook seeks for an innovative approach to Sustainability Communication as transdisciplinary area of research. Following the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which are intended to transform the world as it is known, we seek for a multidisciplinary discussion of the role communication plays in realizing these goals. With complementing theoretical approaches and concepts, the book offers various perspectives on communication practices and strategies on an individual, organizational, institutional, as well as public level that contribute, enable (or hinder) sustainable development. Presented case studies show methodological as well as issue specific challenges in sustainability communication. Therefore, the book introduces and promotes innovative methods for this specific area of research.
Communicating Sustainability is a book of evidence-based strategies for making sustainability vivid, accessible, and comprehensible. To do this, it brings together research from a range of specialties including cognitive psychology, visual perception, communication studies, environmental design, interpretive exhibit design, interpretive signage, wayfinding, storytelling, courtroom litigation, information graphics, and graphic design to illustrate not only what approaches are effective but why they work as they do. The topic of sustainability is vast and complex. It interconnects multiple dimensions of human culture and the biosphere and involves a myriad of systems and processes, many of which are too large, too small, too fast, or too slow to see. Many people find verbal explanations about all of this too abstract or too complicated to understand, and for most people the concepts of sustainability are regarded as quirky, peripheral, and not essential to everyday life. Yet the challenges of sustainability concern the very survival of most species of life on Earth, including the human species. In order for life as we know it to survive and thrive into the future, sustainability must become broadly understood—by everyone, not just activists or specialists. This book offers tools to help make complex systems and nuanced, abstract ideas concrete and comprehensible to the broadest range of people. The goal of communication, and of this book, is to build understanding.
Modern and professional communication is required to realise the goal of sustainability in society. This book develops a theoretical and empirical framework, integrating interdisciplinary perspectives from communications theory, psychology, sociology, educational sciences, systems theory and constructivism. Its aim is to inform the establishment of sustainability communication. Complementing this theoretical framework, the book provides methods and concepts in a range of fields such as corporate practice, education and media. The book addresses the scientific community and students as well as communicators in all categories of sustainability communication.
This is a seminal book for anyone who wants to understand, shape or study the communication surrounding sustainability in their interactions with colleagues, employees, supply chain partners and external stakeholders. It develops essential insights on the basis of an extensive review of relevant theories and research drawn from multiple disciplines. Interview data gathered from organization members who are currently communicating about sustainability in their cities, universities, nongovernmental organizations, small businesses and large for-profit organizations provide valuable insights from a practitioner’s perspective. The interviewees represent organizations such as the Portland Trailblazers, Tyson Foods, the City and County of Denver and the Natural Resources Defense Council. Theory, research and interview comments combine in a reader-friendly way to provide practical insights and stimulate future research.
This book draws on a broad spectrum of environmental communications and related cross-disciplinary literature to help students and scholars grasp the interconnecting key concepts within this ever-expanding field of study. Aligning climate change and environmental learning through media and communications, particularly taking into account the post-COVID challenge of sustainability, remains one of the most important concerns within environmental communications. Addressing this challenge, Essential Concepts for Environmental Communication synthesises summary writings from a broad range of environmental theorists, while teasing out provocative concepts and key ideas that frame this evolving, multi-disciplinary field. Each entry maps out an important concept or environmental idea and illustrates how it relates more broadly across the growing field of environmental communication debates. Included in this volume is a full section dedicated to exploring what environmental communication might look like in a post-COVID setting: • Offers cutting-edge analysis of the current state of environmental communications. • Presents an up-to-date exploration of environmental and sustainable development models at a local and global level. • Provides an in-depth exploration of key concepts across the ever-expanding environmental communications field. • Examines the interaction between environmental and media communications at all levels. • Provides a critical review of contemporary environmental communications literature and scholarship. With key bibliographical references and further reading included alongside the entries, this innovative and accessible volume will be of great interest to students, scholars and practitioners alike.
Sustainability Communication across Asia distils the core components of environmental communication in the diverse milieu of Asian nations such as Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Thailand, and China. The chapters in this book engage readers in a clear-sighted view of issues, challenges, and strategies related to sustainability communication in Asia, examining fundamental principles, digital strategies, and the role of language, as well as community engagement. The first part of the book features underpinning ideologies of sustainability communication. The authors go on to explore the prevalent trends and approaches in sustainable communication in the digital realm, examining the internet in general, social media, and gaming platforms. Finally, the book discusses the green efforts adopted among selected Asian communities, the role of communication, and the resulting societal impacts. Readers will be introduced to many related examples of Asian sustainability cases and issues that may differ from Western experiences. Interesting topics such as environmental gamification, edutainment and sustainability communication, and social media and sustainability are among those presented and elaborated at length by 21 writers with industrial and academic backgrounds. Practical and inspiring, this book will be of great interest to students and scholars of sustainability and environmental communication, and Asian studies in general.
With "Sustainability: A Comprehensive Foundation," first and second-year college students are introduced to this expanding new field, comprehensively exploring the essential concepts from every branch of knowldege - including engineering and the applied arts, natural and social sciences, and the humanities. As sustainability is a multi-disciplinary area of study, the text is the product of multiple authors drawn from the diverse faculty of the University of Illinois: each chapter is written by a recognized expert in the field.
The Global Intercultural Communication Reader is the first anthology to take a distinctly non-Eurocentric approach to the study of culture and communication. In this expanded second edition, editors Molefi Kete Asante, Yoshitaka Miike, and Jing Yin bring together thirty-two essential readings for students of cross-cultural, intercultural, and international communication. This stand-out collection aims to broaden and deepen the scope of the field by placing an emphasis on diversity, including work from authors across the globe examining the processes and politics of intercultural communication from critical, historical, and indigenous perspectives. The collection covers a wide range of topics: the emergence and evolution of the field; issues and challenges in cross-cultural and intercultural inquiry; cultural wisdom and communication practices in context; identity and intercultural competence in a multicultural society; the effects of globalization; and ethical considerations. Many readings first appeared outside the mainstream Western academy and offer diverse theoretical lenses on culture and communication practices in the world community. Organized into five themed sections for easy classroom use, The Global Intercultural Communication Reader includes a detailed bibliography that will be a crucial resource for today's students of intercultural communication.
This book offers an exploration of the textile industry and their relationship to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), catering specifically to academic researchers and providing a roadmap for aligning aligning textile research with the SDGs. It covers a wide range of topics, starting with an overview of the SDGs and their relevance to the textile industry. It examines the environmental footprint of textiles, including issues related to raw material sourcing, manufacturing processes, and waste management. Additionally, it explores the social and economic aspects of textiles, such as labor conditions, fair trade, and responsible consumption. One of the main focuses of this book is the role of innovation and technology in advancing sustainable textiles. It discusses emerging materials and technologies that promote circularity, reduce environmental harm, and enhance social well-being. Furthermore, it explores the potential of digitalization, artificial intelligence, and data analytics in optimizing textile production, distribution, and consumption patterns. This book also addresses the challenges and opportunities associated with sustainable textile supply chains. It analyzes the complexities of global value chains, the need for transparency and traceability, and the importance of collaboration among stakeholders. Furthermore, it highlights strategies for promoting sustainable fashion, encouraging responsible consumption, and fostering circular business models. By delving into these topics, this book aims to solve several key problems faced by academic researchers in the field of textiles and sustainability. It provides a holistic understanding of the SDGs and their integration into textile research, helping researchers align their work with broader sustainability objectives. It offers insights into the latest innovations and technologies, enabling researchers to explore cutting-edge solutions for sustainable textiles. Additionally, it presents case studies and best practices from industry leaders, inspiring researchers to undertake impactful research and contribute to positive change. This book is intended for academic researchers, as well as practitioners, specializing in textiles, sustainability, and related fields. It serves as a valuable resource for professors, postgraduate students, and professionals seeking to deepen their knowledge of the interplay between textiles and the SDGs. It encourages critical thinking, fosters interdisciplinary collaboration, and equips researchers with the tools and insights necessary to drive sustainable transformations within the textile industry and beyond.
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is an established management focus of today's companies and organizations of different types, scope and size. Communication practices on CSR and sustainability in the media industry, related theoretical concepts, and empirical foundations have not yet been sufficiently explored. This book focuses on a new normative framework of sustainability, bridging the established debate on public value with the current debate on social impact and the social license to operate in the media industry. With a variety of contributions from theory and practice, the book addresses the dual nature of media and media companies, which simultaneously produce economic and cultural goods and thus bear a "double responsibility": on the one hand, for the way they present reality, monitor and criticize economic and political developments, and bring ethical concerns to the public debate. On the other hand, they bear responsibility for their own activities as companies (license to operate). The book is therefore aimed at readers interested in the journalistic perspective and at executives in the media industry.
