Education and political ecology as vehicles to recognize the human-nature relationship and its significance in society

Abstract

It is true that in education, many different areas influence the way it is presented, such as history, social sciences, or exact sciences. Likewise, due to the diversity of contexts in which education takes place, these connections sometimes generate significant transformations in learning environments. Unfortunately, in Colombian primary and secondary schools, environmental education is not taught adequately. This often results in a limited classroom approach, leaving out many important environmental and social issues. On the other hand, political ecology is an interdisciplinary field that studies the relationships between humans and nature from a power and conflict perspective, offering an interdisciplinary approach that can exceptionally complement environmental education. Therefore, this text analyzes environmental education in Colombia and explores how the perspective of Political Ecology can contribute to improving its approach. In line with this, the text emphasizes the need to incorporate symbolic, social, and cultural aspects into environmental education, which goes beyond a purely naturalistic view.