From Ritual to Responsibility: Rethinking Environmental Citizenship in Bhutanese Schools

Abstract

Environmental citizenship is increasingly recognised as an important goal of education, yet in many contexts it is fragmented across subjects or approached primarily through scientific knowledge, with limited attention to its ethical, cultural, and civic dimensions. In Bhutan, this raises questions about how schooling can build on existing forms of environmental responsibility embedded in everyday life. This study examines the role of social studies in supporting environmental citizenship, particularly in middle schools. Drawing on a qualitative ethnographic case study, data were collected through interviews with teachers and parents, classroom and school-based observations, and analysis of curriculum and policy documents. The findings of the study show that environmental responsibility is not new for young Bhutanese students. These responsibilities are lived and practised in their daily lives at home and in the community. However, school-based practices often focus on routine activities with limited integration of meaning, values, and lived experience. The paper argues that social studies has a potential to connect ecological knowledge with cultural values, ethical reasoning, and civic responsibility. It suggests that strengthening such curricular spaces is essential for supporting contextually grounded environmental citizenship in Bhutanese education.