Reclaiming chemistry as human practice: culture, ethics, and indigenous knowledge in the green chemistry discourse: A systematic review
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Abstract
Chemistry has historically been framed within a technical, value-neutral paradigm that treats matter and its transformations as an isolated object of inquiry, marginalizing the social, ethical, and cultural dimensions increasingly recognized as central to sustainability discourse. This systematic review, conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020 guidelines, synthesizes evidence from 20 studies published between 2016 and 2025 examining how green chemistry has been reimagined through humanistic, cultural, and digital lenses. Findings reveal a pronounced concentration of scholarship in Southeast Asia, particularly Indonesia, alongside substantial contributions from Europe and North America, reflecting a broader shift toward globalized, culturally responsive engagement with chemical knowledge. Frameworks such as Culturally Responsive Transformative practice and Socio-Scientific Inquiry emerged as prominent vehicles for connecting molecular-level chemistry to social justice and environmental stability, while digital media evolved from basic collaborative platforms toward interactive, culturally mediated resources supporting contextualized engagement. Cultural integration proved highly context-dependent, drawing on indigenous ethnoscience, post-colonial critique, and Eastern philosophical traditions to render chemistry personally and socially meaningful. Across the corpus, humanistic and culturally grounded interventions consistently enhanced both conceptual mastery of green chemistry principles and affective dimensions, including environmental awareness, empathy, and cultural identity, without compromising scientific rigor. This review positions humanistic and cultural integration not as a peripheral enrichment but as a necessary evolution toward Vision III scientific literacy, emphasizing pluralism, ethical reasoning, and emancipatory citizenship. Implications for cultural policy, professional formation, and future inquiry addressing underrepresented regions and long-term behavioral outcomes are discussed.
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