The intersection of peace and sustainability: Narrative inquiry through critical pedagogies in language teaching

This study explores the integration of peace education and sustainability principles into English as a Foreign Language (EFL) classrooms, focusing on how the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can foster critical thinking. Situated in the BİLSEM center in Bursa, Turkey, it examines how gifted seventh- and eighth-grade students engaged with peace education through EFL. Using a qualitative descriptive design, the research draws on students’ reflective narratives generated from activities centered on peace, equality, and sustainability. These tasks supported language development while encouraging ethical awareness and social responsibility. Data from discussions, creative projects, and essays were analyzed through critical discourse analysis to trace students’ evolving views of peace and sustainability. Findings suggest that peace education in SDG-oriented EFL classrooms can act as transformative spaces, enabling learners to question dominant narratives, connect local and global issues, and envision themselves as agents of change.