Emotional subjectivities of Iranian teachers in formal environmental education: Power, pedagogy and climate affect

This study investigates the emotional subjectivities of teachers in Iran’s formal environmental education (FEE) and how pedagogical, institutional, and socio-political forces shape climate-related affect and practice. Using a convergent mixed-methods design, we surveyed 379 teachers with a Climate Emotion Inventory and conducted interviews with 38 educators across five provinces. Findings show prevalent constructive emotions (Responsibility, 72%; Hope, 68%) alongside inhibitory affects (Anxiety, 61%; Guilt, 47%). Curriculum constraints (76%) and weak institutional support (64%) strongly correlated with anxiety, while environmental identity was positively linked with hope and responsibility. Interviews revealed regionally grounded grief, the emotional costs of teaching crises, and coping strategies such as reframing, peer dialogue, spiritual grounding, and fostering student agency. While these practices sustain pedagogy, they remain compensatory in the absence of systemic reform. We argue that climate emotions are socially produced and politically mediated, shaping both vulnerability and resilience in sustainability education.