Mindfulness: A Politically Sensitizing Concept. Care and Social Sustainability as Issues

Senghaas-Knobloch, Eva

doi:10.1007/978-3-642-38694-7_11

Cited by 5 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 7 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Organisational mindfulness emerged from the domain of risk and safety research, and has only recently been extended to climate adaptation (Aviles and Dent 2015 ; Becke 2014 ; Becke et al 2012 ; Senghaas-Knobloch 2014 ). It describes behaviours of collective mindfulness in high reliability organisations (e.g., disaster management) that help in adapting to unexpected events (Weick et al 1999 ).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Mindfulness is said to politically sensitize people and organisations to the consequences of unquestioned structures and power relations at all scales (Dayley 2017 ; Senghaas-Knobloch 2014 ; Rowe 2017 ; Wamsler et al 2017 ). It implies awareness and sensitivity to context, the cultivation of compassion, and intrinsic core values which, in turn, are assumed to be reflected in actions for the common good (Brown and Kasser 2005 ; Ericsson et al 2014 ; Hanh and Weisman 2008 ; Kaza 2008 ).…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Mind the gap: The role of mindfulness in adapting to increasing risk and climate change

Wamsler

2018

Sustain Sci

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

It is becoming clear that increasingly complex global challenges cannot simply be solved by new technology or governments alone. We also need to develop new social practices and encourage a broader cultural shift towards sustainability. Against this background, this paper explores the role of mindfulness in adapting to increasing risk and climate change. Based on a literature review, it assesses current research on ‘mindful climate adaptation’, and explores how individual mindfulness is linked to climate adaptation. While in practice mindfulness-based approaches to climate adaptation have gained widespread recognition (e.g., by the United Nations), the results show that related research is scarce and fragmented. There is almost no research into the role of mindfulness in climate adaptation. At the same time, new scientific domains are opening up in cognate fields that illuminate the mindfulness–adaptation nexus from certain perspectives. These fields include: (1) disaster management; (2) individual well-being; (3) organisational management; (4) environmental behaviour; (5) social justice; and (6) knowledge production. As new concepts and approaches emerge, they require critical construct validation and empirical testing. The importance of further investigation is supported by a complementary empirical study, which shows that individual mindfulness disposition coincides with increased motivation to take (or support) climate adaptation actions. The paper concludes that mindfulness has the potential to facilitate adaptation at all scales (through cognitive, managerial, structural, ontological, and epistemological change processes) and should, therefore, become a core element in climate and associated sustainability research. Finally, it sketches the conceptual trajectories of the mindfulness–adaptation nexus and presents a pioneering, comprehensive framework for ‘mindful climate adaptation’.

show abstract

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Mind the gap: The role of mindfulness in adapting to increasing risk and climate change

Wamsler

2018

Sustain Sci

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The framework thus supports the understanding that mindfulness can be seen as a key concept to politically sensitizing people and organizations to the consequences of unquestioned structures and power relations (cf. Senghaas-Knobloch 2014 and “ Mindfulness in general sustainability practice ”). The mindfulness-sustainability framework can broaden the spatial horizon and help to understand impacts on (distant) communities that might be incongruent with declared values.…”

Section: Discussion and Conclusion: Integrating Mindfulness Into Susmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recently, the notion of “organizational mindfulness” has emerged. The concept was developed in the domain of risk and safety research, and has only recently been extended to sustainability, and sustainable risk reduction in particular (Aviles and Dent 2015 ; Becke 2014 ; Becke et al 2012 ; Senghaas-Knobloch 2014 ). Weick and Sutcliffe ( 2007 ) based their conceptualization of organizational mindfulness on high-reliability organizations (i.e.…”

Section: Mindfulness and Sustainability In Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Mindfulness in sustainability science, practice, and teaching

et al. 2017

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This paper explores the current role of mindfulness in sustainability science, practice, and teaching. Based on a qualitative literature review that is complemented by an experimental learning lab, we sketch the patterns and core conceptual trajectories of the mindfulness–sustainability relationship. In addition, we assess this relationship within the field of climate change adaptation and risk reduction. The results highlight that notions such as ‘sustainability from within’, ‘ecological mindfulness’, ‘organizational mindfulness’, and ‘contemplative practices’ have been neglected in sustainability science and teaching. Whilst little sustainability research addresses mindfulness, there is scientific support for its positive influence on: (1) subjective well-being; (2) the activation of (intrinsic/ non-materialistic) core values; (3) consumption and sustainable behavior; (4) the human–nature connection; (5) equity issues; (6) social activism; and (7) deliberate, flexible, and adaptive responses to climate change. Most research relates to post-disaster risk reduction, although it is limited to the analysis of mindfulness-related interventions on psychological resilience. Broader analyses and foci are missing. In contrast, mindfulness is gaining widespread recognition in practice (e.g., by the United Nations, governmental and non-governmental organizations). It is concluded that mindfulness can contribute to understanding and facilitating sustainability, not only at the individual level, but sustainability at all scales, and should, thus, become a core concept in sustainability science, practice, and teaching. More research that acknowledges positive emotional connections, spirituality, and mindfulness in particular is called for, acknowledging that (1) the micro and macro are mirrored and interrelated, and (2) non-material causation is part of sustainability. This paper provides the first comprehensive framework for contemplative scientific inquiry, practice, and education in sustainability.

show abstract

Mindful Change: A Concept for Social Sustainability at Organizational Level

Becke

2013

CSR, Sustainability, Ethics &Amp; Governance

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Mindfulness: A Politically Sensitizing Concept. Care and Social Sustainability as Issues

Cited by 5 publications

References 7 publications

Mind the gap: The role of mindfulness in adapting to increasing risk and climate change

Mind the gap: The role of mindfulness in adapting to increasing risk and climate change

Mindfulness in sustainability science, practice, and teaching

Mindful Change: A Concept for Social Sustainability at Organizational Level

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About