Bridging sustainability and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) through transformative sustainability pedagogy

Purpose This paper aims to examine how sustainability education can support diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) outcomes in higher education. The authors found that transformative sustainability pedagogy (TSP) provides a powerful framework through which students can develop the experiences, systems thinking and affective skills needed to connect sustainability with DEI. Design/methodology/approach Four focus groups with 33 total participants were conducted with undergraduate students at a mid-sized American university. The focus groups consisted of a series of questions and a concept mapping exercise. Data were analyzed thematically using three dimensions of TSP as an explanatory framework: experiential/participatory learning, systems thinking and affective/emotional engagement. Findings Results show that while many students initially defined sustainability in narrow environmental terms, those with broader educational experiences held more nuanced views. Student responses demonstrated evidence of participatory learning (co-constructing broader definitions of sustainability through concept mapping), systems thinking (linking sustainability to diversity issues as well as global inequities) and affective engagement (emphasizing inclusion through empathy and care). Research limitations/implications While this study draws on data from a single institution and a small, self-selecting sample (which limits generalizability), it points to the potential for TSP to enhance DEI outcomes within sustainability education. These results also indicate opportunities to inform curriculum development and shape instructional practices. Practical implications The findings indicate that to align sustainability education with TSP, it is important to adopt pedagogical strategies that emphasize experiential and affective learning, incorporate critical frameworks and draw on interdisciplinary perspectives. In addition, supporting co-curricular initiatives strengthens the integration of sustainability with DEI. Originality/value This paper provides empirical support that TSP can serve as a pedagogical bridge between sustainability and DEI, offering hopeful evidence that TSP-led sustainability education can foster understanding of DEI through qualities embedded within the learning experience. By examining how student learning aligns with the three dimensions of TSP, the study contributes both theoretical and practical insights into the ways in which sustainability education may advance DEI goals in higher education.