Beyond the neoliberal straitjacket: the Degrowth Pedagogy Framework (DPF) for business schools

Abstract

This conceptual paper introduces the Degrowth Pedagogy Framework (DPF) as a pedagogical innovation that develops critical skills in educators and students to challenge growth-dependent sustainability models, ultimately advancing responsible management and sustainability in higher education. Drawing on critical pedagogy as a form of resistance in the Freirean sense, the DPF offers a novel approach that guides educators beyond the constraints of neoliberal orthodoxy. The DPF advances business school education for preparing students to lead during ecological and societal crises. Providing educators with five pillars to critically examine the limitations of neoliberal free-market capitalism, the DPF introduces degrowth as a valid and essential counter-narrative in business school pedagogy. By fostering a constructivist approach and encouraging multi-paradigmatic worldviews, the DPF promotes a ‘childlike mindset’ that cultivates openness to new paradigms. Ultimately, this paper responds to the urgent need for pedagogical innovation in sustainability education and contributes to business schools fulfilling their commitments to the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs).