Sustainable Development 7.5 HP FOR030F

Course name: Sustainable Development

ECTS/HP: 7.5

Course code: FOR030F
Educational level: Third-cycle course

Eligibility requirements:
The course is open to students admitted to third-cycle studies at LTU.

Course content:
Different approaches and interpretations of sustainable development, for example varying ethical perspectives, form the basis for advanced analytical exercises where the different interpretations are applied, both on contemporary environmental problems and on the course participant’s PhD topic. The own research area is set in relation to global goals for sustainable development in such a way that both difficulties and opportunities to contribute to long-term sustainable development become clear.

Learning outcomes:
After completing the course, participants shall have the ability to:

• Describe and critically relate to the concept of sustainable development at national and global levels; how it has evolved over time, its various contemporary definitions and interpretations, and different ethical perspectives.
• Pursue independent analyses of how sustainable development is integrated into various areas, such as water and energy.
• Pursue independent analyses of how the choice of strategies for change, from policy instruments and targets to individual behaviour, is affected by environmental ethics (i.e. fundamental values on the relationship between human beings and nature).
• Analyse the interaction and potential conflicts between different aspects of sustainability (ecological, economic and social, including gender equality), with focus on the course participant’s PhD project.
• Apply a system understanding regarding the life-supporting and resource maintaining functions of ecosystems and relate this to the own PhD project.

The above learning outcomes imply that this course targets the following national criteria for a doctoral degree, as numbered in Appendix B to the individual study plan: 1.1, 2.1, 2.5, 2.6 and 3.2.

Course methods:
Teaching is in the form of lectures and compulsory exercises where active participation is a requirement. The lectures introduce the central themes of the course; the concept of sustainable development, different strands of environmental ethics and their development over time, different perspectives on resource usage, the sensitivity of ecosystems and their crucial function for the life supporting systems on the planet. The exercises train the ability to analyse sustainability-related issues from perspectives developed and used within the social sciences, science and/or technology. Distance-bridging technology will be used for course participants who study at other campus locations.

Examination form:
The examination consists of assignments with oral presentation and written submission. Each assignment contains a qualified analysis, where the answers to the questions require advanced understanding of the area or issue under investigation, as well as ability to apply different perspectives or models. The assignments concern, for instance, environmental ethics and gender aspects. The course participants present and compare their own analysis with the analysis of their peers. Examination also encompasses skills in oral and written presentation, as well as the ability to give constructive criticism to the work by other doctoral students.

Grading scale: Pass/Fail.

Course literature:
Chapin, F. S., Folke, C. Kofinas, G. P. 2009. A framework for Understanding Change. In Principles of Ecosystem Stewardship: Resilience-Based Natural Resource Management in a Changing World. New York: Springer Verlag. pp 3-28.

Cochrane, A. 2006. Environmental ethics, in J. Fieser & B. Dowden (eds) The internet encyclopedia of philosophy. At http://eprints.lse.ac.uk./21190

Denton, F. 2002. Climate change vulnerability, impacts, and adaptation: Why does gender matter? Gender and Development, vol. 10, no. 2, pp. 10-20.

Brundtland, G. H. et al. 1987. Our Common Future. Nairobi: United Nations Environmental Programme, World Commission on Environment and Development. Kap. 2.

Goodland, R. 1995. The Concept of Environmental Sustainability. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics, 26(1) 1-26.

Griggs, D., Rockström, J.; et al. 2013. Policy: Sustainable development goals for people and planet. Nature, 21, Vol. 495 (7441), pp.305-7.

Jagers, S.C., Harring, N., Löfgren, Å. et al. 2020. On the preconditions for large-scale collective action. Ambio 49, 1282–1296.

Mansbridge, J. 2014. The role of the state in governing the commons. Environmental Science & Policy, 36: 8-10.

Ostrom, E. 2000. Collective Action and the Evolution of Social Norms. Journal of Economic Perspectives, 14(3): 137–158.

Robèrt, K-H., et al. 1997. A Compass for Sustainable Development, International Journal of Sustainable Development and World Ecology (4):79-92.

Shirin, M. R.; Brown, B. D.; Ruwanpura, K. N. 2019. SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth – A gendered analysis, World Development, vol. 113, pp. 368-380.

Steffen, et. al. 2015., Planetary boundaries: Guiding human development on a changing planet, Science 13, vol 347, no 6223.

Education cycle:
Study period 2, 2024

Course is given periodically:
Yes, next time is planned 2026

Send application to: The application is made via the form below

Application to the course starting autumn 2024 External link, opens in new window.

Doctoral student enters name, civic registration number, e-mail, Division and Department in the application.

Deadline for application:
2024-10-02

Course open for application by doctoral students admitted to other universities than LTU:
Yes. Attach a registration certificate from Ladok in your application.

Limited number of students:
No

Tuition:
The course is free of charge for doctoral students admitted at LTU.

Contact person:
Carina Lundmark (carina.lundmark@ltu.se)

Examiner:
Associate Professor Carina Lundmark

Course syllabus decided by:
Helena Ranängen

Date of decision:
2023-12-04