Sustainability Science and Society

Faculteit—

NiveauBachelor

Studiejaar2026-2027

Beschrijving

Course goals

Note: Was previously code UCINTSUS21 Sustainability. You cannot take both courses; they are the same.

After completing this course students are able to:

Discuss the concept of sustainability as it appears in various contexts.
Identify the environmental, social and economic dimensions of sustainability and explain their interplay in different contexts.
Discuss the importance of intra- and trans-disciplinary approaches and systems thinking when addressing concrete problems in sustainability.
Distinguish facts and scientific theories from ethics and opinions.
Present in a coherent and considered way their views on the topic.
Debate the relevance of sustainability to the future of life on earth.
Analyze sustainability aspects of a self-chosen system, man-made or natural

Relationship between assessment and learning goals

First individual written exam: this tests your knowledge of, and ability to apply the topics and concepts covered in the first part of the course (course goals 1-5)
Second individual written exam: this tests your knowledge of, and ability to apply the topics and concepts covered in the second part of the course (course goals 1-5)
Final essay and group presentation: this tests your ability to collect information about, internalize, apply, and explain sustainability-related problems and/or solutions, and the ability to transfer the knowledge acquired orally and in writing (course goals 2-7)
News item presentations: this tests your ability to apply the concepts discussed in the course to current sustainability issues and critically assess related literature (course goals 5-7)
Active participation: this tests your preparation and engagement with the course, as well as the ability to elaborate on the theoretical concepts discussed (topics 1–7)

Content

Note: Was previously code UCINTSUS21 Sustainability. You cannot take both courses; they are the same.

This course aims to explore the principles, problems and methods of sustainability.

In 1987, the Brundtland commission defined sustainable development as development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. Living sustainably may well be the greatest challenge we face: either we survive together or none of us will. Some do not see the urgency and ask What's posterity ever done for me? They want to see money spent on present rather than future problems. Clearly, sustainability involves deep ethical issues. As a truly interdisciplinary topic, it is ideally suited for the Liberal Arts & Sciences integrative approach.

After a critical historical introduction we study what the natural sciences tell us about processes and cycles on our planet from a systems point of view. Ecology, the end of fossil fuels, alternative energy sources, environmental pollution, loss of biodiversity and climate change will be reviewed. Besides relevant facts, the sciences provide also interpretive theories with important, but often uncertain, implications for the future.

Facts and predictions do not suffice. In the end, the debate about sustainability is about values. What do we care about and why? What is worth sustaining? This will carry us into environmental ethics and a critical analysis of the relationship of humans to nature.

Having heard the facts and discussed our values, we turn to the social, economic and political aspects of sustainability. Here one often sees a clash between competing interests and different cultures. Is “sustainable growth” an oxymoron? Possible solutions to such problems will be explored, including environmental economics. Which agents, government, NGOs or grass-roots groups can best achieve the desired changes?

Finally, we try to integrate the different approaches and points of view in an attempt to arrive at policy recommendations. We will also examine our own behavior and discuss what type of changes we might make in our personal lives.

Format
Besides listening to lectures by various (guest) instructors, students will read and discuss recent (news) articles on issues related to sustainability. Small groups of students will give presentations and write integrative essays with a focus on a particular aspect of the field.

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