View in EDS HTML Full Text PDF Full Text

Planetary health as a troubling concept for the ecological university: unification, revolution or utopia?

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Title: Planetary health as a troubling concept for the ecological university: unification, revolution or utopia?
Authors: Kemp, Nicola (AUTHOR), Barnett, Ronald (AUTHOR)
Source: Studies in Higher Education. Mar2026, Vol. 51 Issue 3, p489-500. 12p.
Subjects: Ecosystem health, Higher education, Crises, Revolutions, Utopias, Universities & colleges
Abstract: This paper contributes new insights into a topic of contemporary significance to higher education in general, and more particularly to this journal – that of the role and responsibility of the university in the context of socio-ecological crises. Specifically, it explores the (hitherto unexamined) relationships between the ideas of the ecological university and planetary health and the ways in which the latter might inform or 'trouble' the former. To provide a frame for this exploration, the Planetary Health Education Framework – developed to distil 'the essence' of planetary health in relation to values, knowledge and practices in higher education – is deployed. It is concluded that, while the relationship between the two concepts is (super)complex, the idea of the ecological university is supervenient on that of planetary health. Planetary health can be understood as a potentially unifying concept for the ecological university in its response to three key planetary 'failures' (conceptual, knowledge and implementation). It is also a revolutionary concept, calling for an urgent transformation of major institutions, systems and frameworks at micro and mega-ecosystem levels. Most significantly, although both concepts contain utopian strains, with their foundation in ontological realism, planetary health offers a strong regulatory ideal for universities which seek to develop their ecological credentials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Studies in Higher Education is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
Full text is not displayed to guests.
FullText Links:
  – Type: pdflink
Text:
  Availability: 1
Header DbId: pbh
DbLabel: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection
An: 192007609
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
IllustrationInfo
Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Planetary health as a troubling concept for the ecological university: unification, revolution or utopia?
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kemp%2C+Nicola%22">Kemp, Nicola</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Barnett%2C+Ronald%22">Barnett, Ronald</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
– Name: TitleSource
  Label: Source
  Group: Src
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Studies+in+Higher+Education%22">Studies in Higher Education</searchLink>. Mar2026, Vol. 51 Issue 3, p489-500. 12p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subjects
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Ecosystem+health%22">Ecosystem health</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Higher+education%22">Higher education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Crises%22">Crises</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Revolutions%22">Revolutions</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Utopias%22">Utopias</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Universities+%26+colleges%22">Universities & colleges</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: This paper contributes new insights into a topic of contemporary significance to higher education in general, and more particularly to this journal – that of the role and responsibility of the university in the context of socio-ecological crises. Specifically, it explores the (hitherto unexamined) relationships between the ideas of the ecological university and planetary health and the ways in which the latter might inform or 'trouble' the former. To provide a frame for this exploration, the Planetary Health Education Framework – developed to distil 'the essence' of planetary health in relation to values, knowledge and practices in higher education – is deployed. It is concluded that, while the relationship between the two concepts is (super)complex, the idea of the ecological university is supervenient on that of planetary health. Planetary health can be understood as a potentially unifying concept for the ecological university in its response to three key planetary 'failures' (conceptual, knowledge and implementation). It is also a revolutionary concept, calling for an urgent transformation of major institutions, systems and frameworks at micro and mega-ecosystem levels. Most significantly, although both concepts contain utopian strains, with their foundation in ontological realism, planetary health offers a strong regulatory ideal for universities which seek to develop their ecological credentials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Studies in Higher Education is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=192007609
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1080/03075079.2025.2475073
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 12
        StartPage: 489
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Ecosystem health
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Higher education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Crises
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Revolutions
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Utopias
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Universities & colleges
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Planetary health as a troubling concept for the ecological university: unification, revolution or utopia?
        Type: main
  BibRelationships:
    HasContributorRelationships:
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Kemp, Nicola
      – PersonEntity:
          Name:
            NameFull: Barnett, Ronald
    IsPartOfRelationships:
      – BibEntity:
          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 03
              Text: Mar2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
          Identifiers:
            – Type: issn-print
              Value: 03075079
          Numbering:
            – Type: volume
              Value: 51
            – Type: issue
              Value: 3
          Titles:
            – TitleFull: Studies in Higher Education
              Type: main
ResultId 1