PurposeStarting with the premise that the industrial age has ended, the paper seeks to examine how the underlying principles of sustainability will guide the creation of new economic and educational paradigms.Design/methodology/approachThe paper utilizes classical economics, the principles of sustainability, and social capital as its theoretical framework.FindingsBased on the neoclassical economic concept of free‐market capitalism, it does not make economic sense to invest in economic, environmental, or social renewal. However, social and environmental indicators demonstrate that a neoclassical capitalist model simply is not sustainable. There is a need for a new paradigm for a sustainable future that is based on biological, living systems as opposed to mechanistic systems. The new paradigm will also rely on the principles of classical economics, civic and social responsibility for its foundation. Service‐learning, as an educational model that is intimately integrated with society, is poised to respond to the global transformations that are taking place. It is a responsive and responsible pedagogy that promotes the core values that will be essential for success in the future.Originality/valueThis paper provides guidance on how the principles of sustainability will affect future economic development and will inform education in the field of service‐learning.

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There is growing international concern about the lack of civic engagement among the youth in many nations. These concerns have sparked renewed interest in the quantity and quality of civic education in public schools in the United States. The objective of this study is to determine if the concerns about civic education are about the sufficiency of academic content related to civic education or if the concerns reflect a lack of consensus regarding the question of "What makes a good citizen?" To address this question, this paper examines state social studies content standards from five U.S. states to determine if specific perspectives on citizenship are present in the standards and which perspectives are emphasized. University websites are also analyzed to assess their focus on citizenship. The study finds that the citizenship education in K-12 schools is robust, and specific perspectives are emphasized. This emphasis on specific perspectives, as opposed to a lack of academic content related to civic education, may be at the heart of the debate over citizenship education.

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