Storytelling for Sustainability in Higher Education

"Read this if you want to be inspired by the power of a good story to change our behaviour for the better!"

Professor Eunice Simmons, Vice Chancellor, University of Chester, UK

"A perfect read. I believe that this book will help us all to inspire others to make real change, beyond the classroom – students, staff and other stakeholders"

Jessica Lichy PhD, MBA, Professor of International Marketing, IDRAC Business School, Lyon, France

"Amazing! A former senior UN official who wrote technical papers and talks on sustainable development for over 30 years has produced a stunning historical novel. The Endless Dawn takes the reader back thousands of years in the Indus Valley and tells a captivating and inspiring story of the human quest for meaning, power, and love. In reading the story I was transported to another time where I encountered compelling scenes, characters, emotions, and dialogue that touched something deep within me. Thank you, Dr. Chandavarkar (Chapter 6) for offering this profound gift of imagination and insight. We look forward to your next creation."

Robertson Work, author of A Compassionate Civilization, climate/justice activist, and former UNDP policy adviser and New York University adjunct professor

"Well, Dr. Chandavarkar (Chapter 6) has done it again. After many years as a senior UN official, Nikhil has followed his first historical novel, The Endless Dawn, with yet another beautifully crafted story, this time of ancient Iran, The Turquoise Empire, may be even better in its realism, power, drama, and depth of characterization. How can the author make ancient history both come alive and so relevant to our contemporary challenges and crises? Thank you, Nikhil, for this gift. We eagerly anticipate your next creation."

Robertson Work, author of A Compassionate Civilization, climate/justice activist, and former UNDP policy adviser and New York University adjunct professor.

"The Endless Dawn centres around the Aryan Migration, when nomadic Indo-Europeans arrived into the Indus Valley. The theory that they sought to conquer the region serves as the novel’s main premise, and the story hypothesizes how this invasion might have unfolded. Nikhil Chandavarkar (Chapter 6) impresses with his knowledge of ancient history and linguistics by conducting a cultural tour of these fascinating societies, set amidst the backdrop of a compelling political drama and perilous love triangle …by and large, I was engaged and curious throughout. The story is believable and riveting and the characters memorable… I found it an exciting and highly educational experience."

Dan Cross, Reviewer, The Historical Novel Society

"This much-needed volume will prove an invaluable and inspiring go-to reference for educators seeking to integrate story-telling into the classroom practices in a purposeful way. I have certainly missed having a resource like this to draw on in teaching sustainability-related issues in a management education context, in a way that can touch students’ hearts, not just their minds."

Associate Professor Maribel Blasco, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark

"Stories are powerful ways of engaging the imagination and the emotions, helping people understand who they are in the world. This book makes clear that change makers and educators interested in building a more sustainable world need to learn to become better storytellers, weaving tales that inspire creative new visions and who how all can help bring them to reality. This book will prove an amazing resource for educators wanting to build storytelling in many media into their pedagogy."

Sandra Waddock, Galligan Chair of Strategy, Carroll School Scholar of Corporate Responsibility

Professor of Management, Boston College, USA

"This book sounds amazing! Extremely useful and just what I've been looking for. I'll order it today!"

Professor Eva Österlind, Stockholm University Sweden

"Storytelling for Sustainability in Higher Education is a ‘must read’ for those who are interested in embedding sustainability in their higher education teaching space. The book provides in depth theoretical discussions on storytelling and shows how storytelling enhances understanding of sustainability. The book provides many wonderful suggestions about writing impactful stories for the classroom space (and beyond) and the authors generously offer many examples of how they have used storytelling in their own teaching spaces."

Dr Suzette Dyer, University of Waikato, New Zealand

"This Educator’s handbook offers real insight into the role of storytelling in the teaching of sustainability. The wide array of examples provided offers educators with a great opportunity to work with their students and develop understanding of complex sustainability concepts. I would highly recommend its use across the higher education sector."

Dr Phil Megicks, Associate Professor in Marketing, University of Southampton, UK

"As our unsustainable industrial civilisation collapses around us we need storytelling more than ever to imagine what comes next. This book provides invaluable tools that educators can use to kindle the imagination of students and empower them to act."

Arran Stibbe, Professor of Ecological Linguistics, University of Gloucestershire, UK

"This book will create a sustainability revolution in the classroom - stories can and do drive change in the world and this book tells us how to use stories for the wider, collective good."

Professor Jane Harrington, Vice-Chancellor, University of Greenwich

"This pioneering Handbook illumines the art of storytelling in education. Among many cutting-edge contributors, Grian Cutanda offers a radical agenda for ecology, transforming minds and hearts, through carefully chosen stories. This power to change the way we see things becomes the leitmotif of an inspiring collection. "- Donald Smith, Director, Scottish International Storytelling Festival

"Dr. Nikhil Chandavarkar makes a compelling case for using historical fiction as a means to teach students how to navigate issues in sustainability. His novel The Endless Dawn in particular incorporates a number of SDGs and illustrates ways to respond to challenges. Given the urgency for humanity to achieve the SDGs and their complexity, historical fiction plays an important role in taking students inside scenarios where they can become a part of a story bigger than themselves. This genre effectively presents case studies that students can analyze and compare to present-day situations, in independent and team assignments, achieving understanding of various ways to approach these complex issues." - Ms. Shireen Khan, Chief Operating Officer (COO), of GlobalXplorer

"Dr. Nikhil Chandavarkar has written a brilliant chapter on "Storying the Past: Using Historical Fiction to Teach Sustainability". In order to achieve the five key pillars of Agenda 2030, Chandavarkar proposes and clearly illustrates how historical fiction can be used as a powerful tool of bringing to life the teaching of sustainability. Using his own book, Endless Dawn, which takes place in the second millennium BCE in the Indus Valley, the author shows the two-way nature of time wherein journeying back into the past can inform the present and help invent a new future. Furthermore, the chapter lays out a complete course construct for teaching the use of stories of previous epochs to help avert, in the 21st century, climate disaster and ecocide, and other development challenges. I am excited with the effectiveness and convincing presentation of this novel approach."-Robertson Work, author, climate/justice activist, and former UNDP principal policy adviser for decentralized governance, and NYU Wagner professor of innovative leadership

"Read this if you want to be inspired by the power of a good story to change our behaviour for the better!"

Professor Eunice Simmons, Vice Chancellor, University of Chester, UK

"A perfect read. I believe that this book will help us all to inspire others to make real change, beyond the classroom – students, staff and other stakeholders"

Jessica Lichy PhD, MBA, Professor of International Marketing, IDRAC Business School, Lyon, France

"Amazing! A former senior UN official who wrote technical papers and talks on sustainable development for over 30 years has produced a stunning historical novel. The Endless Dawn takes the reader back thousands of years in the Indus Valley and tells a captivating and inspiring story of the human quest for meaning, power, and love. In reading the story I was transported to another time where I encountered compelling scenes, characters, emotions, and dialogue that touched something deep within me. Thank you, Dr. Chandavarkar (Chapter 6) for offering this profound gift of imagination and insight. We look forward to your next creation."

Robertson Work, author of A Compassionate Civilization, climate/justice activist, and former UNDP policy adviser and New York University adjunct professor

"Well, Dr. Chandavarkar (Chapter 6) has done it again. After many years as a senior UN official, Nikhil has followed his first historical novel, The Endless Dawn, with yet another beautifully crafted story, this time of ancient Iran, The Turquoise Empire, may be even better in its realism, power, drama, and depth of characterization. How can the author make ancient history both come alive and so relevant to our contemporary challenges and crises? Thank you, Nikhil, for this gift. We eagerly anticipate your next creation."

Robertson Work, author of A Compassionate Civilization, climate/justice activist, and former UNDP policy adviser and New York University adjunct professor.

"The Endless Dawn centres around the Aryan Migration, when nomadic Indo-Europeans arrived into the Indus Valley. The theory that they sought to conquer the region serves as the novel’s main premise, and the story hypothesizes how this invasion might have unfolded. Nikhil Chandavarkar (Chapter 6) impresses with his knowledge of ancient history and linguistics by conducting a cultural tour of these fascinating societies, set amidst the backdrop of a compelling political drama and perilous love triangle …by and large, I was engaged and curious throughout. The story is believable and riveting and the characters memorable… I found it an exciting and highly educational experience."

Dan Cross, Reviewer, The Historical Novel Society

"This much-needed volume will prove an invaluable and inspiring go-to reference for educators seeking to integrate story-telling into the classroom practices in a purposeful way. I have certainly missed having a resource like this to draw on in teaching sustainability-related issues in a management education context, in a way that can touch students’ hearts, not just their minds."

Associate Professor Maribel Blasco, Copenhagen Business School, Denmark

"Stories are powerful ways of engaging the imagination and the emotions, helping people understand who they are in the world. This book makes clear that change makers and educators interested in building a more sustainable world need to learn to become better storytellers, weaving tales that inspire creative new visions and who how all can help bring them to reality. This book will prove an amazing resource for educators wanting to build storytelling in many media into their pedagogy."

Sandra Waddock, Galligan Chair of Strategy, Carroll School Scholar of Corporate Responsibility

Professor of Management, Boston College, USA

"This book sounds amazing! Extremely useful and just what I've been looking for. I'll order it today!"

Professor Eva Österlind, Stockholm University Sweden

"Storytelling for Sustainability in Higher Education is a ‘must read’ for those who are interested in embedding sustainability in their higher education teaching space. The book provides in depth theoretical discussions on storytelling and shows how storytelling enhances understanding of sustainability. The book provides many wonderful suggestions about writing impactful stories for the classroom space (and beyond) and the authors generously offer many examples of how they have used storytelling in their own teaching spaces."

Dr Suzette Dyer, University of Waikato, New Zealand

"This Educator’s handbook offers real insight into the role of storytelling in the teaching of sustainability. The wide array of examples provided offers educators with a great opportunity to work with their students and develop understanding of complex sustainability concepts. I would highly recommend its use across the higher education sector."

Dr Phil Megicks, Associate Professor in Marketing, University of Southampton, UK

"As our unsustainable industrial civilisation collapses around us we need storytelling more than ever to imagine what comes next. This book provides invaluable tools that educators can use to kindle the imagination of students and empower them to act."

Arran Stibbe, Professor of Ecological Linguistics, University of Gloucestershire, UK

"This book will create a sustainability revolution in the classroom - stories can and do drive change in the world and this book tells us how to use stories for the wider, collective good."

Professor Jane Harrington, Vice-Chancellor, University of Greenwich

"This pioneering Handbook illumines the art of storytelling in education. Among many cutting-edge contributors, Grian Cutanda offers a radical agenda for ecology, transforming minds and hearts, through carefully chosen stories. This power to change the way we see things becomes the leitmotif of an inspiring collection. "- Donald Smith, Director, Scottish International Storytelling Festival

"Dr. Nikhil Chandavarkar makes a compelling case for using historical fiction as a means to teach students how to navigate issues in sustainability. His novel The Endless Dawn in particular incorporates a number of SDGs and illustrates ways to respond to challenges. Given the urgency for humanity to achieve the SDGs and their complexity, historical fiction plays an important role in taking students inside scenarios where they can become a part of a story bigger than themselves. This genre effectively presents case studies that students can analyze and comp