Larger Lessons From a University’s Struggle With Sustainability: Meanings, Perceptions, and Diffusion

• In Event: Framing the Environment

Abstract

University communities have traditionally been the pioneers in spearheading and adopting cutting edge innovations including embracing and promoting sustainable living (The Princeton Review, 2015). As the awareness and debate on environmental problems gains momentum, college campuses are role models in shaping young student minds and larger community leading the way to a more sustainable way of life. However, implementing sustainability has become more confusing and harder to practice as the perceptions surrounding sustainability become problematic in agreeing to meaning of the concept.
The present study focuses on identifying themes to understand how individuals and stakeholders perceive sustainability, and the process by which people assign meanings to sustainability. Applying George Lakoff’s ideas of framing and metaphors the present paper argues that the themes of sustainability practices at a metropolitan campus can be implemented through diffusion of innovation-decision process and promotion of adopter categories. First, the paper provides a review of sustainability concepts as related to the issues of metaphors, framing and reframing as well as the diffusion of innovation processes. Second, the data collection process is explained, followed by an analysis of the perceptions and frames used by the participants. Lastly, through the implementation of themes meaningful recommendations on how to approach the idea of sustainability and diffuse it are provided.

Authors

• Kelsay Williams, U of Arkansas

• Avinash Thombre, U of Arkansas - Little Rock