4107306: Economic Perspectives on Sustainable Development - Seminar

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Semester:SS 16
Type:Seminar
Language:English
Scheduled in semester:6
Semester Hours per Week / Contact Hours:60.0 L / 45.0 h
Self-directed study time:135.0 h

Module coordination/Lecturers

Curricula

Bachelor's degree programme in Business Administration (01.09.2012)

Description

  • History and definitions of sustainable development
  • Sustainable economics comprising the 3 pillars of sustainability (ecology, economy, society): theoretical approaches to sustainable development based upon concepts of Evolutionary Economics, Ecological Economics, Feminist Economics and Economic Sociology
    • Social construction of the economy
    • Ecological construction of the economy
    • Economic growth and sustainable growth dynamics
  • Indicators and measurement of sustainable development
  • Political agenda of sustainability including fiscal and monetary policies and regulations of firms and markets

Qualifications

    • present an account of the historical context in which the concept of sustainable development was created, and the key principles upon which the concept is built.
    • demonstrate the limitations of orthodox economics in conceptualizing sustainable development.
    • illustrate and explain - through the lens of sustainability - the challenges that contemporary societies are being confronted with.
    • analyze and evaluate the state of heterodox economic theories in modeling sustainable development.
    • distinguish and critically judge the ways in which sustainable development is applied, assessed and measured.
    • use economic theory to explain government policies promoting sustainable development and evaluate their effects
    • interpret studies that use qualitative and quantitative methods.
    • examine a scientific research paper identifying and describing the hypothesis and in which ways it was tested.
    • formulate a hypothesis and test it using regression analysis.
    • critically appraise and evaluate theory building progress and research conclusions.
    • implement creative forms of expressing and communicating thoughts, ideas and results.
    • are encouraging ? being friendly, warm and responsive to others.
    • acknowledge others and their ideas, agree with and accept the contributions of others.
    • mediate by harmonizing, conciliating differences in point of view and make compromises.
    • get a task done within a give timeframe by initiating (group) actions aiming at information gathering, exchanging, testing and delivering.
    • increased self-esteem in applying heterodox economics to analyzing issues of gender, society and the whole economy
    • exhibit tolerance for ambiguity and resolve contradictory issues
    • reflect their own abilities and single out in which ways sustainability affects the construction of own identy and self-perception

Lectures Method

  • Sessions with inputs on theories
  • Reading assignments (Textbook and journal article)
  • Media analysis (e.g. film clips, newspapers, campaigns)
  • Reflections on own biographies from a sustainability perspective
  • Verbal illustrations and use of anecdotes and parables
  • Hall of Fame by topic (scientific and political leaders, heroes)
  • Discussion groups conducted by students as chairpersons
  • Debate (informal) on current issues by students from class
  • Using case studies reported in literature to illustrate principles and facts
  • Drama, role playing
  • Peer feedback sessions

Literature

Christen, M., & Schmidt, S. (2012). A Formal Framework for Conceptions of Sustainability - a Theoretical Contribution to the Discourse in Sustainable Development. Sustainable Development, 20(6), 400-410

Daly, E.H. 1996. Beyond Growth. Boston: Beacon Press.

Ferber, Marianne A. and Julie A. Nelson, eds. 1993. Beyond Economic Man: Feminist Theory and Economics. Chicago/London: University of Chicago Press.

Hodgson, G. (2014). The evolution of morality and the end of economic man. Journal Of Evolutionary Economics, 24(1), 83-106.

Jackson, T. (2012) Prosperity without growth. In: F. Hinterberger, E. Freytag, E. Pirgmaier and M. Schuster (Eds): Growth in transition, p. 62-65. Abington/New York: Earthscan/Routledge.

Jackson, T. T., & Marks, N. N. (1999). Consumption, sustainable welfare and human needs -- with reference to UK expenditure patterns between 1954 and 1994. Ecological Economics, 28(3), 421 - 441.

Mebratu,D. (1998). Sustainability and sustainable development: Historical and conceptual review. Environmental Impact Assessment Review, 18( 6), 493-520

Özkaynak, B., Adaman, F., & Devine, P. (2012). The identity of ecological economics: retrospects and prospects. Cambridge Journal Of Economics, 36(5), 1123-1142.

Schneider, G. & Shackelford, J. (2001) Economics Standards and Lists: Proposed Antidotes for Feminist Economists, Feminist Economics, 7(2), 77-89

Sharachchandra M. Lélé (1991). Sustainable development: A critical review. World Development, 19(6), 607-621

Strober, M. H. (1994). Rethinking economics through a feminist lens. American Economic Review, 84(2), 143.

Thompson, S., Marks, N. and Jackson, T. (2013) Well-being and Sustainable Development. In: S. David, I. Boniwell and A. Conley (Eds): Oxford Handbook of Happiness, p. 498-517. Oxford: Oxford University Press.


Plus students' literature research