What is sustainability? Why should it matter to you?
Answering these questions will generate more questions. In this course the concept of sustainability will be presented and discussed from several perspectives. Students will gain insights into the triple bottom line approach to sustainability and examine the different aspects and challenges it encompasses for contemporary societies and individuals. This approach allows students to explore three aspects of sustainability: social, environmental and economic dimensions.
Throughout this course, students will not only acquire both a theoretical and practical understanding of sustainability, but also develop a variety of skills to conduct empirical research on this topic. Students will have the opportunity to collaborate with participants from China to collect first-hand data. Students’ own research projects will allow them to investigate sustainability practices in China. This course is also designed for students to engage with the intercultural dimension of sustainability and work in small diverse groups on their research project.