Research Paper on:
Dissertation Proposal - Sustainability Programs in Community Colleges

Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
information technology has dramatically restructured society in certain key ways. For instance, individuals now have a great deal more access to information about the external world than at any other  point in history, with the result that society as a whole is becoming more informed regarding geopolitical issues. One way in which this is being reflected is in the reaction  society is tending to have towards issues of environmental sustainability. For instance, people are holding corporations accountable for their environmentally unsustainable practices, and inculcating a cultural expectations of corporate social  responsibility. In their private lives, people are also becoming more conscious about the need for sustainable agriculture, green living, and so on. It seems clear that in the future, as  more and more societies become industrialized, this attitude of focusing on sustainability will be become increasingly important. This being the case, it is worthwhile to question what instruments are going  to be most useful in disseminating the importance of this cultural focus to new generations. Besides obvious long-standing institutions such as the family unit and the local community, some experts  have suggested that community colleges, because of their progressive yet localized nature, can serve a major role in "cultivating sustainable living in the US... by developing policies and plans to  initiate actions through students and faculty" (Spilde 2009, p. 6). This dissertation will explore in depth the role of the community college in promoting a culture of sustainable living.  This introductory chapter presents the overall structure and focus of the dissertation. Beginning with a broad examination of some contemporary literature on sustainable living movements in community colleges across the  country, certain research questions are then developed in regards to exactly how such a message might be disseminated most effectively. A qualitative study is proposed and supported by an analysis