Life Paths to Leading Systems-Level Change: Higher Education's Pitfalls and Potential

Global protests calling for accelerated climate change action, social justice, and racial equity have been shifting long-standing conversations policies from local to national scales. Yet many activists can become psychologically drained by the frustration loss of hope in fighting against structural oppression. This study was comprised semi-structured qualitative interviews spanning across United States with 25 leaders practitioners permaculture design, a solutions-based ecological design framework enact positive, systems-level environmental change. The objective better understand their life paths toward such work. research showed that higher education is not adequately preparing individuals engaging change, it also accessible looking pursue this Given these institutional inadequacies, transdisciplinary programs practical applications frameworks remain underdeveloped underutilized. There need inclusive, hands-on, confront growing complex contemporary concerns be integrated throughout academic structures. Higher must serve more central role promoting transformative help current future generations move away degenerative patterns destruction socially just environmentally regenerated planet.