Storying New Worlds: Educating to Counter Violence and Activate Alternatives to the Anthropocene

Abstract

In aworld brimmingwith amultitude of stories,modern schoolinghas served to systematically command and control single, totalizing narratives. Among these narratives is the story of the Anthropocene, which places humans as superior to the rest of the Earth system and its species, celebrates (neo)liberal individualism and competition over the common good, and narrates human evolution in terms of the so-called progress propelled by the vertiginous growth of fossil economies. This storyline has led us to a dead end, destroying the ecosystems that have sustained life on Earth for millions of years and threatening the survival of both people and the planet. Changing the story of theAnthropocene requires a critical interrogation of the dominant narratives that have long been in circulation and the capacity to bring into focus alternative stories—both new and existing ones—about what it means to be human. Education is at the core of this challenge, which is collectively addressed by the authors and editors of