Circular economy through the lens of the forest metaphor – a teaching and learning perspective

The idea of a circular economy promises radically different outcomes compared to the current, linear economy. To explore new lines of enquiry to achieve these different outcomes, metaphors can be used to allow a learner to think about a circular economy differently compared to the current economy. Conceptual metaphors are especially powerful for this purpose since they influence most abstract patterns of thought, and they have systemic properties. Therefore, this research describes an intrinsic case study about the engagement of a group of students with the metaphor of a forest during a two-day postgraduate-level course. This research addresses the question: “to what extent does the forest metaphor allow students to rethink the relationship between businesses in a circular economy?“ Through this intrinsic case study, the insights, experiences, and perspectives of the students are analysed, after they have interacted with the metaphor of a forest.