The University of San Francisco USF Scholarship: a digital repository @ Gleeson Library | Geschke Center Doctoral Dissertations Theses, Dissertations, Capstones and Projects 2012 Sustainability with an Ethical Aim: Lessons from an American Nun in Amazonia Stephanie Denise Demaree [email protected] Follow this and additional works at:https://repository.usfca.edu/diss Part of theEducation Commons Recommended Citation Demaree, Stephanie Denise, "Sustainability with an Ethical Aim: Lessons from an American Nun in Amazonia" (2012).Doctoral Dissertations. 22. https://repository.usfca.edu/diss/22 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Theses, Dissertations, Capstones and Projects at USF Scholarship: a digital repository @ Gleeson Library | Geschke Center. It has been accepted for inclusion in Doctoral Dissertations by an authorized administrator of USF Scholarship: a digital repository @ Gleeson Library | Geschke Center. For more information, please [email protected]. The University of San Francisco SUSTAINABILITY WITH AN ETHICAL AIM: LESSONS FROM AN AMERICAN NUN IN AMAZONIA A Dissertation Presented to The Faculty of the School of Education Department of Leadership Studies Organization and Leadership Program In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Education by Stephanie Demaree San Francisco May 2012 THE UNIVERSITY OF SAN FRANCISCO Dissertation Abstract Sustainability with an Ethical Aim: Lessons from an American Nun in Amazonia Research Topic Human imagination, an ethical aim and action are the progenitors for reconciliation between humans and their environment. Two examples of such reconciliation are found in Brazil and are the result of the tireless work of an American Nun, Sister Dorothy Stang and the staff of the Iracambi Atlantic Rainforest Research and Conservation Center. The present inquiry portrays the history, current programs, and the potential for the findings to shape the lives of those committed to work toward creating a balance between human endeavors and sustainable environments. Theory and Protocol This research is grounded in critical hermeneutics and follows an interpretive approach to field research and data analysis (Herda 1999). This orientation places the researcher and participants in a collaborative relationship that exemplifies the power of conversation and the importance of language to unveil new understandings about our world. Research Categories Three primary critical hermeneutic concepts, drawn from the theory of Paul Ricoeur (1992), provided the categories for this research. These categories served as the boundaries for both data collection and analysis: Ethical Aim, understood from a critical hermeneutic orientation, promotes living with and for others in a socially just manner; Imagination is the creative act of envisioning a different future that can be inhabited; and Praxis fosters the practical application of ethical aim and imagination through action. ii Findings The participants, who lived their ethics daily in the practical application of sustainable practices, argued that we must collectively re-imagine what it means to be interconnected with the earth, because the current one-sided relationship between humans and their environment is unsustainable. The following findings were derived from the conversations with participants: (1) sustainable praxis is the responsibility of everyone; (2) education can lead to sustainability in real world contexts; (3) an ethical aim includes esteem for people and the earth’s resources. iii This dissertation, written under the direction of the candidate’s dissertation committee and approved by the members of the committee, has been presented to and accepted by the Faculty of the School of Education in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education. The content and research methodologies presented in this work represent the work of the candidate alone. Stephanie Demaree 4-25-12 Candidate Date Dissertation Committee Dr. Ellen A. Herda 4-25-12 Chairperson Dr. Patricia Mitchell 4-25-12 Dr. Stephen Cary 4-25-12 Dr. Paul Racanello 4-25-12 iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Writing a doctoral dissertation is like any major accomplishment in life; it involves hard work, at times feelings of elation or desperation, and acknowledging the unsung heroes that made the journey possible. Two people who supported me most fervently deserve my gratitude, Mike and Blaise. Two weekends out of the month we journeyed to San Francisco so I could go to class and Mike and Blaise supported me with later dinners, last minute video editing, and companionship. On the home front, thanks goes out to my parents for holding down the fort and my in-laws for always lending a helping hand. This academic and intellectual process involved in the dissertation and doctorate was predicated on perseverance, and that was encouraged by my unyielding advisor and mentor, Dr. Ellen Herda, who stretched my mind to think in ways it never had before. Thanks also go to my committee comprised of Dr. Patricia Mitchell, Dr. Stephen Cary and Dr. Paul Racanello for their continued support. Finally, this real life adventure and inquiry into Sustainable Practices with an Ethical Aim: Lessons from an American Nun in Amazonia was made possible through the staff and faculty of The Dorothy Stang Center at Notre Dame de Namur University and by the LeBreton’s and others of Iracambi Atlantic Rainforest Research and Conservation Center in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Their conversations and insights shaped the narrative that I was honored to tell. v Table of Contents CHAPTER ONE ............................................................................................................... 2 FOCUS OF THE RESEARCH ........................................................................................ 2 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 2 Statement of the Research Topic .................................................................................... 2 Background of the Research Topic ................................................................................. 3 Significance of the Study ................................................................................................ 4 Summary ......................................................................................................................... 6 CHAPTER TWO .............................................................................................................. 7 BACKGROUND OF BRAZIL ........................................................................................ 7 Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 7 Geographical Location .................................................................................................... 7 Early History ................................................................................................................... 8 Current Situation ............................................................................................................. 9 Culture............................................................................................................................. 9 Political and Economic Background ............................................................................. 10 Summary ....................................................................................................................... 11 CHAPTER THREE ........................................................................................................ 12 REVIEW OF LITERATURE ........................................................................................ 12 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 12 Section One: Selected Anthropological Theory on Brazil ............................................ 12 Section Two: Environment and Education ................................................................... 18 Section Three: Development......................................................................................... 25 Section Four: Theoretical Constructs............................................................................ 30 Ethical Aim ............................................................................................................... 30 The Good Life ........................................................................................................30 With and For Others...............................................................................................32 In Just Institutions ..................................................................................................33 Imagination ............................................................................................................... 35 Praxis......................................................................................................................... 38 Summary ....................................................................................................................... 41 CHAPTER FOUR ........................................................................................................... 43 v RESEARCH PROCESS ................................................................................................. 43 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 43 Ethical Aim ............................................................................................................... 43 Imagination ............................................................................................................... 44 Praxis......................................................................................................................... 45 Research Protocol ......................................................................................................... 46 Research Categories and Guiding Questions ............................................................ 47 Category I: Ethical Aim .........................................................................................47 Category II: Imagination ........................................................................................48 Category III: Praxis ................................................................................................48 Data Collection ......................................................................................................... 49 Data Analysis ............................................................................................................ 50 Research Sites ............................................................................................................... 50 The Dorothy Stang Center for Social Justice and Community Engagement ................ 50 Iracambi Atlantic Rainforest Research and Conservation Center ............................ 52 Entree to Iracambi and The Dorothy Stang Center ................................................... 53 Research Conversation Participants .............................................................................. 54 Pilot Study ..................................................................................................................... 60 Introduction ............................................................................................................... 60 Reflections on the Pilot Project................................................................................. 61 Background of Researcher ............................................................................................ 62 Summary ................................................................................................................... 64 CHAPTER FIVE ............................................................................................................ 65 DATA PRESENTATION ............................................................................................... 65 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 65 Sustainability in Brazil .............................................................................................. 65 Meaning of Sustainability with an Ethical Aim ........................................................ 70 Development and Education Models ........................................................................ 74 Government’s Attitude Toward Progress ................................................................. 81 Summary ....................................................................................................................... 87 CHAPTER SIX ............................................................................................................... 89 DATA ANALYSIS .......................................................................................................... 89 Introduction ................................................................................................................... 89 An Ethical Aim is Required for a Just World ........................................................... 90 Ethical Aim Toward People ...................................................................................91 vi Ethical Aim Toward the Land ................................................................................93 Imagination: What the Future May Hold .................................................................. 95 Imagination and the Environment ..........................................................................96 Imagination of the People ......................................................................................98 Imagination and Education ..................................................................................100 Praxis Means Making a Difference in the World ................................................... 102 Action in Community ..........................................................................................102 Action in the World Context ................................................................................105 Summary ..................................................................................................................... 108 CHAPTER SEVEN ....................................................................................................... 110 RESEARCH FINDINGS AND IMPLICATIONS ..................................................... 110 Introduction ................................................................................................................. 110 Summary of the Research ........................................................................................... 110 Research Findings ....................................................................................................... 111 Sustainable Praxis is the Responsibility of Everyone ..........................................112 Education Can Lead to Sustainability in Real-World Contexts ...........................113 An Ethical Aim Includes Esteem for People and the Earth’s Resources .............114 Implications for Practice ............................................................................................. 115 Re-imagining Science Instruction for Sustainability and Ecoliteracy through Educational Policy ...............................................................................................115 Coupling Praxis and our Consumption Patterns ..................................................118 Envisioning Education and Development with an Ethical Aim ..........................121 Suggestions for Future Research ................................................................................ 123 Government Policies and Sustainable Practices ..................................................123 Implications for Education ...................................................................................124 Conservation and Preservation ............................................................................124 Personal Reflections from the Researcher .................................................................. 125 Bibliography ............................................................................................................... 128 Appendix A: List of Participants ................................................................................ 134 Appendix B: Pilot Conversation Transcription with Sister Roseanne Murphy .......... 135 Appendix C: Pilot Study ............................................................................................. 148 Background of Conversation Partner ...................................................................... 148 Data Presentation .................................................................................................... 148 Data Analysis .......................................................................................................... 150 Greed and Lack of Ethical Aim and Solicitude ...................................................150 Destruction of Natural Resources Reflective of Insufficient Imagination ...........152 Sister Dorothy’s Social Justice and Educational Work and Praxis ......................153 Conclusion .............................................................................................................. 156 Implications............................................................................................................. 157 vii Appendix D: Letter of Invitation and Research Questions ......................................... 159 Appendix E: Research Participant Confirmation Letter ............................................. 161 Appendix F: Thank You/Follow-Up Letter ................................................................ 162 Appendix G: Copy of IRBPHS Letter ........................................................................ 163 viii