VSJF Annual Conference 'Sustainability in Japan'

Making human activity on Earth sustainable is currently the greatest challenge of mankind. Ever since the United Nations adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in 2015, the topic has gained world-wide popularity, but what sustainability means, how it can be achieved, how it is politically negotiated, and which actors are involved differs widely across the world. The purpose of this conference is to gain a better understanding of how issues of sustainability are understood, framed and pursued by different actors in Japan. Focusing on economic, societal, and political perspectives, we hope not only to encourage more social science research and teaching related to sustainability issues in Japan, but also to interrogate more widely what sustainability means for the academic profession.