Title: Latin American narratives of sustainability: opportunities for engagement through films

Authors: José Gutiérrez-Pérez

Addresses: Department of Educational Methodology Research, Faculty of Science Education, University of Granada, Campus Universitario de Cartuja s/n, 18071-Granada, Spain

Abstract: Can cinema become a vehicle to promote a reflection about the environment that will foster the adoption of values based on planet citizenship, socially responsible attitudes, and environmental commitment? The critical analysis that is presented here of environmental conflicts, as reflected in Latin American cinematographic narratives, can contribute to developing a global gaze in environmental education, thus encouraging the cinema-viewing public to see themselves as citizens committed to ecological problems in distant lands. It can also help raise awareness about the injustice caused by the exploitation of natural resources for commercial purposes. We have focused on the Cochabamba 'water war', and the movie Even the Rain, using a process of active viewing to enable students to approach film in a more motivated manner.

Keywords: environmental education; environmental conflicts; films; sustainability narratives; movies; Latin America; environmental sustainability; public engagement; cinema; social responsiblity; sustainable development; water wars; resource exploitation; natural resources.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSD.2014.061790

International Journal of Sustainable Development, 2014 Vol.17 No.2, pp.160 - 175

Accepted: 02 Aug 2013
Published online: 30 Jun 2014 *

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