Introductory description

This module is a core second year module on the BA in Liberal Arts courses. It complements the other core module on Consumption and each explores a major organizing concept of contemporary society from different intellectual perspectives.

Module web page

Module aims

Outline syllabus

This is an indicative module outline only to give an indication of the sort of topics that may be covered. Actual sessions held may differ.

The module's structure is based on 5 problems around the broad issue of Sustainability. These are followed by a study of the current critical and theoretical approaches to addressing the broad issue. Term 1
I. What is, and what isn't sustainability?
a. Introduction: understanding complexity, systems thinking, and the emergence and development of sustainability thought
b. The mastery of nature: an embedded ideological bias
c. Reconstructing the sustainability narrative: separating myth from reality; Sustainability and Sustainable Development
II. How can we measure sustainability?
a. Sustainability indicators, indices, and other considerations in measurement
b. Concepts, methodologies, and data tools to assess water use
III. How do we engage individuals and 'the public' in sustainability?
a. Individual behaviour, sustainable consumption, and the power of behavioural cues
b. Community action and the power of coordination
c. Education for sustainability
d. Social media, engagement, and tools for creating agents of change Group presentations (week 10)
Term 2
IV. The issues of business and globalisation
a. Corporate social responsibility and the supply chain
b. Closing loops in production and the circular economy
c. Globalisation: Challenges and opportunities
V. Dealing with trends in population and living
a. Population challenges in the 21st century
b. Rural livelihoods and the sustainability of traditional culture
c. Urbanisation and the sustainable city
VI. Critical and Theoretical approaches to Sustainability
d. Ecocriticism and critical approaches to sustainability
Group presentations (week 10)
Term 3
I. Revision

Learning outcomes

By the end of the module, students should be able to:

• Demonstrate advanced cognitive skills such as critical analysis, source-text analysis, quantitative and qualitative research methods and communication skills.
• Utilise meta-cognitive skills developed through problem-based learning such as planning how to approach a learning task, identifying the appropriate strategies to solve a problem, monitoring their own comprehension, self-assessing and self-correcting, and becoming aware of their own learning, strengths, and weaknesses.
• Demonstrate both knowledge and understanding of the challenges inherent in conceptualising and defining sustainability in a holistic sense (including contextual, ethical, political), and the skills required to deal with such complexity (such as systems thinking).
• Interpret and critically respond to sustainability-related issues through subject-specific knowledge relating to measures used to assess sustainability (and their limitations), the role of businesses and the relationship between economic growth and sustainability, the debates around population growth, and the tension between urban and rural development.
• Articulate their own individual framework for narrating and explaining sustainability.

Indicative reading list

The module will be taught using 2 textbooks (both available as e-books from the library): Kopnina, H. and Shoreman-Ouimet, E. (eds) (2015). Sustainability : Key Issues. Routledge Stibbe, A. (ed) (2009). The Handbook of Sustainability Literacy. Green Books

View reading list on Talis Aspire

Interdisciplinary

This is a core module on the BA in Liberal Arts course which offers students an interdisciplnary learning experience allowing students to achieve breadth and depth of knowledge

Subject specific skills

Demonstrate both knowledge and understanding of the challenges inherent in conceptualising and defining sustainability in a holistic sense (including contextual, ethical, political), and the skills required to deal with such complexity (such as systems thinking)

Transferable skills

Advanced cognitive skills such as critical analysis, source-text analysis, quantitative and qualitative research methods and communication skills
Meta-cognitive skills developed through problem-based learning e.g. planning how to approach a learning task, identifying the appropriate strategies to solve a problem, monitoring own comprehension, self-assessing and self-correcting, and becoming aware of own learning, strengths, and weaknesses
Systems thinking