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A Multi-authored Trilogy Project: Towards Sustainable, Knowledge and Ethical Societies

Publisher: Globethics.net, Co-Publications and Other Series
Editor-in-Chief: Jose Nandhikkara / Managing Editor: Ignace Haaz

The motivation

This trilogy follows a conference series by the same name organized by Globethics.net in 2022. Eligible papers from the three conferences will be included in the books and this call provides the opportunity for additional authors to enter into and enrich the dialogue with their submissions.

Objectives of the book:
Contributions from authors of all continents are expected to assist in creating a space for dialogue, and specifically for intercultural dialogue.

Scholarly texts from a variety of disciplines on ethics and education (Environment, Society and Economy, Education, etc.) will interact with and inform one another. The book series engages the core mission of Globethics.net to embed ethics in higher education through ETHICS (Empowerment, Transformation, a Holistic approach, Integrity, Competence and Sustainability).

The proposal is that the whole of life has an ethical shape and calls for responsible conduct, and that only ethically guided knowledge societies contribute to sustainable societies. We invite the reader of these lines to discuss how education relates to their thinking and practice of ethics and integrity.

We invite contributions on rethinking the language of thought on ethics and values, a language of the thought as a science of the individual, contrasting with the multitude of 'sciences of the general' at the university. There is across continents a common language of thought on ethics, and it may be plausibly possible to bring into brighter light all good research done in the field of higher education and ethics, as higher education plays a key role in building a place for sharing on values and education.

NB: Submissions will be peer-reviewed and contributors might be asked to take the role of a reviewer at a later stage of the editing of the book project.

Call for contributions:

We invite authors to submit systematically prepared contributions (5000-6000 words) to one or more of the following books.

Volume 1: Towards Sustainable Societies
The UN General Assembly on 25 September 2015 adopted a Resolution (70/1) with a Charter of 17 Sustainable Development Goals and 169 Targets with 232 indicators to be achieved by 2030 for people and planet, prosperity and peace. The agenda sees the 17 goals interlinked and inclusive, with all individuals, societies, and institutions as stakeholders for a sustainable future, with rights and duties. The Resolution calls for Global Partnership for Sustainable Development and reminds everyone: “We can be the first generation to succeed in ending poverty; just as we may be the last to have a chance of saving the planet. The world will be a better place in 2030 if we succeed in our objectives.” Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) with the Transformative Agenda aim to eradicate poverty and hunger, establish socioeconomic inclusion, and protect the environment.

The volume Towards Sustainable Societies explores the ethical interface of the Sustainable Development Goals and the roles of educational, economic, political, legal, and religious policies, systems, and institutions, bringing together researchers from different academic fields, including Literature, Media, Environmental Sciences, Law, Economics, Philosophy, and Religious studies. Researchers who care for the cry of the poor people and the cry of the ailing planet are invited to submit scientifically prepared research papers focussing on one or more SDGs. Selected papers after peer review will be conceptually grouped into the five pillars of SDG:

i. People, Ethics, and Development,
ii. Planet, Ethics, and Development,
iii. Prosperity, Ethics, and Development, and
iv. Peace, Partnerships, Ethics, and Development

Volume 2: Towards Knowledge Societies
Human beings are classified often as homo sapiens, with rationality as the distinguishing characteristic of the human species. As human beings are social beings, knowledge is generated and shared through collective effort and is a common good for the wellbeing of all. We are members of “Knowledge Societies” who generate, share, and make available to all members of the society knowledge that brings justice, solidarity, democracy, peace, and wellbeing to all (UN Document). Both scientific information (logos) and knowledge given in stories (mythos) are necessary for humanity's move 'Towards Knowledge Societies'.

The volume Towards Knowledge Societies provides researchers and scholars with an opportunity to share the fruits of their research examining and showcasing the scale, scope, and complexity of different branches of knowledge, contributing to humanity’s journey Towards Knowledge Societies. After the peer review, the selected papers will be grouped into four sections:

i. Knowledge Societies and Education,
ii. Knowledge Societies and Humanities,
iii. Knowledge Societies and Information Societies, and
iv. Knowledge Societies and Religions.

Volume 3: Towards Ethical Societies
Human beings possess a reflective awareness of good and bad, right and wrong, just and unjust, etc. As homo sapiens, we distinguish between what seems to be the case and what is the case, and as ethical beings, homo ethicus, we distinguish between what is the case and what ought to be the case. We need ethically guided and aligned knowledge societies where economics and politics are for the wellbeing of all, and ethical education is necessary for all stakeholders - teachers, students, professionals, institutions, etc. Personal and social ethics can make a positive difference in all fields of human life and society including science, economics, and politics. To be fully human, one needs to be ethical and as in other significant aspects of human life, education is necessary to realise this goal.

The volume Towards Ethical Societies proposes to examine critically and creatively ethics as fundamental to human life and the interrelations between ethics and other important aspects of human life. Focussing on the general theme, Towards Ethical Societies, researchers and scholars are invited to examine the hypothesis that all branches of human life are closely related with ethics. They are impoverished conceptually and practically, and are perilous to humanity, if they are separated from ethics. Selected papers after peer review will be conceptually grouped into four sections:

i. Ethical Interface of Knowledge Societies,
ii. Ethical Interface of Market Societies,
iii. Ethical Interface of Political Societies, and
iv. Ethical Interface of Religious Societies.

Author Guidelines
The aim of the volumes is not to provide information (especially that which is easily available) but critical reflection and creative academic contribution. Articles are not expected to provide texts, which are already readily available by means of a simple Google search or Wikipedia entry, dictionary meaning, etc. Use minimally the modes of narrative and description (as this involves mere reporting of facts or ideas); instead, use more the modes of explanation, argumentation (critique), and application. The “Introduction” explains the objectives of the paper, the development of the essay, and the importance of the objective in 400-500 words. The “Conclusion” explains the significance of the paper and the positions or perspectives affirmed in 500 words. It is not a summary of the article.

Article Specifications:

• The research article should be 5000-6000 words.
• Provide 150 words abstract, 30 words CV, and 8 keywords.

Language:
The books will be published in English and the book Towards Sustainable Societies in English and Spanish.

We therefore ask you to deliver the text for the books Towards Knowledge Societies and Towards Ethical Societies in English and the book Towards Sustainable Societies in English or Spanish.

Style guide:

• File format: Open Word document (.docx)
• Font: Times New Roman
• Font size: 12 pt
• Use subheadings (preferably two, maximum three levels) to make the organisation clearer
• Use in-text citations for references in the MLA Citation Style, i.e., last name of the author followed by page number in parenthesis - and we strongly advise using this way of referencing, whenever possible, instead of a more general reference to the work without page number, for example (Kachappilly 45). When multiple sources are cited from the same author, part of the title also is given, for example (Tyler, Picturing, 18). See also Short Guide for In-text references linked at the end of this document.
  References are given in full at the end of the article.
• Footnotes: Footnotes are used for giving additional information.
  Font size 11 pt. (no endnotes) with full bibliographic references for all directly and indirectly quoted works. Footnotes should be used sparsely and with the aim of providing further information. First quotation of a given source should be referenced in extenso. See linked below the Short Guide for In-text references.
• Bibliography: Additional bibliographic references to be included at the end of the contribution (no repetition of quoted works in footnotes) Complete list of references used in the body of the text. Repetition is ok. Adding new references should be avoided. If a reference is important then it deserves a place in the body of the text and a short commentary.
• Author’s bio: 3 to 5 lines including title, country of residence/origin, professional occupation, main area of research or interest, and 1 to 2 publications, as applicable.

Overall Timeline

• Last date for submission of the paper: 1 March 2023
• Double-blind peer review reports: 1 May 2023
• Editing, formatting and publishing: 30 June 2023

Editorial Board:
Editor-in-Chief: Jose Nandhikkara
Managing Editor: Ignace Haaz
Executive Editor: Christine Housel

Send papers to email: publications@globethics.net.

Annex: Short Guide for In-text references