The students are familiar with the genesis and the relevant theoretical foundations of sustainability. Subsequently they can summarize current and future challenges as well as global discourses on sustainability. The course aims for students to build knowledge and experience in this environment that they can transfer and apply in subsequent courses in an interdisciplinary context. In this regard, they present critical positions and argue the perspective of sustainability in an economic, environmental and societal context. They can depict the complexity of sustainability in the major societal challenges of the 21st century and recognize the diversity of approaches to solutions.
Based on a given sustainability game, they can define and select the adequate procedures and measures to achieve the appropriate targets.
Students are able to explain the institutional context of the Sustainable Development Goals and place them in a national and international framework. The students recognize conflicts and synergies between research practices and sustainability and make use of adequate methodological approaches.

None

The course will cover questions like:

• WHAT is sustainability?
• WHY is it an increasingly relevant concept today and in the future?
• HOW do sustainability concepts and theories influence and interact with different disciplines of economy, ecology and society?

• Historic development of definitions
• Overview of the most important theories and concepts of sustainability
• Values and value attitudes in the context of sustainability
• Institutionalisation of sustainability (organisations, agreements, processes; e.g., UN Sustainable Development Goals)
• Implementation of sustainability games

Brar S.K., et al.: Sustainability. Wiley, 2020
Elliott J.A.: An Introduction to Sustainable Development. (4th edition). Routledge, 2013
Munier N.: Introduction to sustainability: Road to a better future. Springer, 2005; DOI: 10.1007/1-4020-3558-6
Quental N., Lourenço J., da Silva F.: Sustainability: Characteristics and scientific roots. In: Environment, Development & Sustainability, 13(2), 257-276, 2011;
DOI: 10.1007/s10668-010-9260-x
United Nations, Sustainable Development Goals, 2015: http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals/

• Lecture
• Group work
• Game

Immanent examination character:
Participation, written examination