83
They are located in the interior and exterior of both individuals and collectives.
The exterior aspects are found on the right-hand side, with physical and behavioral aspects in the upper right quadrant and social systemic aspects in the lower
right quadrant. The interior aspects are found on the left-hand side, with intentional, personal, and psychological aspects in the upper left quadrant and cultural
aspects (collective values) in the lower left quadrant. Although the four quadrants
are ontologically distinct, there is nevertheless an interwoven, intimate correspondence among them.
Wilber’s Integral Approach has received substantial attention and has been
applied to a variety of fi elds, in both academia and practice. In particular, it is
gaining attention around the world from researchers and practitioners in the fi eld of
sustainability/environment. We apply this approach because, fi rst, it provides a
holistic framework encompassing a wide knowledge base in the social, economic,
cultural, and natural sciences, and second, it leads to the successful implementation
of an environmental leadership education program by providing a comprehensible
structure for educational curriculum design.
In the academic world of sustainability/environment, we especially draw on the
following studies: Esbjorn-Hargens and Zimmerman [ 4 ], Eddy [ 5 ], Kayane et al.
[ 6 ], Kayane [ 7 , 8 ], Esbjorn-Hargens [ 9 ], Voros [ 10 ], and Floyd and Zubevich [ 11 ].
Among these, Kayane et al. [ 6 ] and Kayane [ 7 , 8 ] are the pioneering studies that
applied the approach to water environment issues. They analyzed the water environment and related changes in Lijiang City, China and Tsuwano Town, Shimane
Prefecture, Japan. They argued that, fi rst, the natural environment, especially water,
is a common element related to all quadrants, and second, that the current environmental problems are often consequences induced by the abnormal development
(evolution) of the lower right quadrant, i.e., rapid technological innovation in the
twentieth century. We mention their works because the main topic of the Oasis Unit
is water scarcity and water resources management in arid regions. The framework
outlined in Kayane et al. [ 6 ] and Kayane [ 7 , 8 ] was further developed in Akiyama
et al. [ 12 ]. Figure 5.1 is a simplifi ed version of Akiyama et al. [ 12 ]’s four quadrant
framework related to water environmental issues.
Our framework allocates perspectives on water environmental issues into four
associated quadrants. It draws on the conventional concept of sustainability/
environment studies, with its emphasis on empirical research methods (quantitative and scientifi c), as well as alternative concepts, to encompass inter-subjective
and subjective modes of inquiry (qualitative, hermeneutic, and introspective).
The benefi t of this framework, although requiring further research, is profound.
On the one hand, it offers a common foundation for people to view various perspectives on the complexity of water environmental issues. In other words, it
incorporates knowledge and methodologies from multiple disciplines. At the
practical level, as far as we know, Wilber’s Integral Approach has previously
been applied to the fi elds of international development and education. In the fi eld
of international development, several international development organizations
and non-governmental organizations, including UNDP (a global leadership
development program around HIV/AIDS), are increasingly seeing the
5 Environmental Leadership Education for Tackling Water Environmental Issues…
They are located in the interior and exterior of both individuals and collectives.
The exterior aspects are found on the right-hand side, with physical and behavioral aspects in the upper right quadrant and social systemic aspects in the lower
right quadrant. The interior aspects are found on the left-hand side, with intentional, personal, and psychological aspects in the upper left quadrant and cultural
aspects (collective values) in the lower left quadrant. Although the four quadrants
are ontologically distinct, there is nevertheless an interwoven, intimate correspondence among them.
Wilber’s Integral Approach has received substantial attention and has been
applied to a variety of fi elds, in both academia and practice. In particular, it is
gaining attention around the world from researchers and practitioners in the fi eld of
sustainability/environment. We apply this approach because, fi rst, it provides a
holistic framework encompassing a wide knowledge base in the social, economic,
cultural, and natural sciences, and second, it leads to the successful implementation
of an environmental leadership education program by providing a comprehensible
structure for educational curriculum design.
In the academic world of sustainability/environment, we especially draw on the
following studies: Esbjorn-Hargens and Zimmerman [ 4 ], Eddy [ 5 ], Kayane et al.
[ 6 ], Kayane [ 7 , 8 ], Esbjorn-Hargens [ 9 ], Voros [ 10 ], and Floyd and Zubevich [ 11 ].
Among these, Kayane et al. [ 6 ] and Kayane [ 7 , 8 ] are the pioneering studies that
applied the approach to water environment issues. They analyzed the water environment and related changes in Lijiang City, China and Tsuwano Town, Shimane
Prefecture, Japan. They argued that, fi rst, the natural environment, especially water,
is a common element related to all quadrants, and second, that the current environmental problems are often consequences induced by the abnormal development
(evolution) of the lower right quadrant, i.e., rapid technological innovation in the
twentieth century. We mention their works because the main topic of the Oasis Unit
is water scarcity and water resources management in arid regions. The framework
outlined in Kayane et al. [ 6 ] and Kayane [ 7 , 8 ] was further developed in Akiyama
et al. [ 12 ]. Figure 5.1 is a simplifi ed version of Akiyama et al. [ 12 ]’s four quadrant
framework related to water environmental issues.
Our framework allocates perspectives on water environmental issues into four
associated quadrants. It draws on the conventional concept of sustainability/
environment studies, with its emphasis on empirical research methods (quantitative and scientifi c), as well as alternative concepts, to encompass inter-subjective
and subjective modes of inquiry (qualitative, hermeneutic, and introspective).
The benefi t of this framework, although requiring further research, is profound.
On the one hand, it offers a common foundation for people to view various perspectives on the complexity of water environmental issues. In other words, it
incorporates knowledge and methodologies from multiple disciplines. At the
practical level, as far as we know, Wilber’s Integral Approach has previously
been applied to the fi elds of international development and education. In the fi eld
of international development, several international development organizations
and non-governmental organizations, including UNDP (a global leadership
development program around HIV/AIDS), are increasingly seeing the
5 Environmental Leadership Education for Tackling Water Environmental Issues…