Sustainable development

Master 2019/2020

Type: Elective course (Population and Development)

Area of studies: Public Administration

Delivered by: Department of Demography

Where: Faculty of Social Sciences

When: 1 year, 3, 4 module

Mode of studies: distance learning

Instructors: Ksenia Gerasimova

Master’s programme: Population and Development

Language: English

ECTS credits: 5

Contact hours: 52

Full Syllabus

Abstract

The course will consist of two parts: environmental economics of sustainability and socio-political approach to analysis of sustainable development. Additionally there will be parts of 2 on-line cources devoted to the management of sustainable development. In the first part the basics of the environment economcis and sustainable development indexes will be observed. In the second part the problems of the political agenda of sustainable development will be observed In the first part

Learning Objectives

Familiarise the students with foundations of the conceptual framework of Sustainable Development
Understanding the goals and objectives of the policy, how it is developing, what are consequences of both progressive and conservative policies
Comparing the experience of both developed and developing countries with SD policies
Understanding the new methods of sustainable development analysis

Expected Learning Outcomes

Analyze and calculate the economic consequences of ecological problems.
Make the projections for the social economic consequnces of the defferent models of environment development and vise-versa
Understanding the role of defferent actors in the sustainable development policy promotion and advocacy
Understanding the role of different actors in the sustainable development policy promotion and advocacy

Course Contents

Environment economics
Sustainable development goals from the economic point of view. Environment economics (introduction). Economic constrains of sustainab;le development. Economic consequences of the climat change
Sustainable Development: Political and Economic Barriers
Discussion of the concept of sustainable development, its origins and how it was introduced at political level. The Brundtland Commission and its report. Brundtland's assessment of possible barriers (difficult political decisions, lack of business involvement). 'Strong' sustainability (focus on nature conservation) versus 'Weak' sustainability (priority of economic interests). Critique of the concept by the former Brundtland commissioners and an environmental activist Vandana Shiva, as examples. Discussion of how much sustainability is actually possible and how different actors use the framework of sustainable development for lobbying their interests. Review of concrete projects aimed to bring in sustainability (retrofit and waste recycling).
Key Actors in Sustainability Discourse
Public movements do great influence on environmental policy and politics. There are various groups - environmental, human rights’, consumers’ and even environmental reporters. In some countries movements allowed to change policies, but in some their power limited – state put a pressure on them. We will look into cases of public movements influencing policy and why they are successful or not.
Methodology for Sustainable Development
Discussion of complicated nature of the subject to study: transdisciplinarity and its difference from interdisciplinarity. Review of available qualitative methodologies. Political aspect of the choice of methods and results presentations in Mainstream science, advocacy science and grassroots science and their methods to Sustainability.
Ways Forward: Achieving Unachievable
Discussion of existing controversies and choices. Comparing 'old' and alternative more sustainable technologies. Two cases: fossil energies and cleantech, and mainstream, GM and organic agriculture. Final review of the concepts to achieve sustainability: green economy and craddle economy.

Assessment Elements

Seminars activity (Game)
Hometasks
Essay
Written test
Was made on-line due to the lockdown

Interim Assessment

Interim assessment (4 module)
0.4 * Essay + 0.15 * Hometasks + 0.3 * Seminars activity (Game) + 0.15 * Written test

Bibliography

Recommended Core Bibliography

Kolk, A. (2016). The social responsibility of international business: From ethics and the environment to CSR and sustainable development. Journal of World Business, (1), 23. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsrep&AN=edsrep.a.eee.worbus.v51y2016i1p23.34
Lawrence H. Goulder, & Ian W. H. Parry. (2008). Instrument Choice in Environmental Policy. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.81F6C7FB
Mario Pansera, & Soumodip Sarkar. (2016). Crafting Sustainable Development Solutions: Frugal Innovations of Grassroots Entrepreneurs. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.DB795019
Our common future : [Brundtland-Report] / World Commission on Environment and Development. Chairman: Gro Harlem Brundtland (Norway) . (1987). Oxford [u.a.]: Oxford Univ. Pr. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edswao&AN=edswao.049933515
Sarkar, Runa, and Anup Sinha. Economics of Sustainable Development, Business Expert Press, 2016. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/hselibrary-ebooks/detail.action?docID=5184983

Recommended Additional Bibliography

Fernando Dias Simões. (2016). Consumer Behavior and Sustainable Development in China: The Role of Behavioral Sciences in Environmental Policymaking. Retrieved from http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=edsbas&AN=edsbas.E2A15807
Roosa, Stephen A.. Sustainable Development Handbook, The Fairmont Press, Inc., 2010. ProQuest Ebook Central, https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/hselibrary-ebooks/detail.action?docID=3239039.
The social responsibility of international business: From ethics and the environment to CSR and sustainable development. (2016). Journal of World Business, 51(1), 23–34. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jwb.2015.08.010

Course Syllabus