Rural territories in socio-environmental crisis: Challenges and opportunities for building sustainable schools and communities in Chile

The Chilean model of economic development, based on the extraction of natural resources, has had significant environmental and social impacts on the country, especially in rural areas. The research project “Towards the construction of sustainable schools and communities in rural areas in socio-environmental crises” studies the interaction between the unregulated exploitation of natural resources, the resulting socio-environmental crises and the responses of schools and communities in the affected rural areas. Based on a documentary and socio-bibliometric approach, identifying the main issues and research gaps related to the socio-environmental crises in the selected territories. The research showed that there are few studies on the role of rural schools and community organizations in the addressing of the socio-environmental crises of the territories and the fostering of long-term educational and community resilience. This reflects the low visibility that these communities are receiving, despite their significant potential on the matter.