MSc Global Development (Environment and Climate Change)

The overarching aims of this course unit are: (i) to introduce students to a range of approaches for achieving transitions to sustainability; and (ii) to equip students with the skills to evaluate different proposed transition strategies from socio-economic, ecological, and social justice perspectives.

The overarching aims of this course unit are: (i) to introduce students to a range of approaches for achieving transitions to sustainability; and (ii) to equip students with the skills to evaluate different proposed transition strategies from socio-economic, ecological, and social justice perspectives.

Syllabus (indicative curriculum content):

- Sustainability transitions and transformations

- Justice and sustainability transitions

- Indigenous/other-than-Western approaches to sustainability

- Degrowth

- Energy transitions

- Food systems transitions

-  Marine sustainability

- Digital-driven transitions to sustainability

- Sustainability transitions in other select sectors, such as fashion or mining 

This course uses a blended learning approach, which means that you will complete some course activities independently online and other course activities in-person during tutorials.
· Online tasks: You will complete compulsorily readings in advance of attending tutorials each week. You will also engage in online discussion forums before and after weekly sessions when prompted.  
· In-person tasks: You will attend weekly lectures and tutorials. Most tutorials will involve working through case studies and other activities in small groups that are related to the week’s lecture and readings. Tutorials will play an important role in preparing you for your case study assessments, which will also be completed in small groups 

• Describe approaches designed to achieve transitions/transformations to more sustainable futures.
• Discuss different definitions and understandings of transformative change and just transitions to sustainability from diverse actors

• Evaluate the benefits and trade-offs of different approaches to transition.
• Critically analyse a case study on a sustainability challenge and compare and contrast different approaches to achieving sustainability.

• Work effectively in teams to carry out a case study analysis.

• Explain the strengths and risks of different approaches to just transition in language appropriate to both academic and non-academic audiences.
• Apply problem-solving skills/approaches to real-world sustainability challenges.

• Written assignment (3,000 words)

Feedback will be provided on VLE within the standard period for feedback 

Scoones, I., Stirling, A., Abrol, D., Atela, J., Charli-Joseph, L., Eakin, H., Ely, A., Olsson, P., Pereira, L., Priya, R. and van Zwanenberg, P. (2020). Transformations to sustainability: combining structural, systemic and enabling approaches. Current Opinion in Environmental Sustainability, 42, 65-75.

Forum for the Future. (2020). From Systems Shock to Systems Change – Time to Transform. The Future of Sustainability. Available online: https://www.thefuturescentre.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/Future-of-Sustainability-2020_Time-to-transform.pd

Bhambra, G.K. and Newell, P. (2022) More than a metaphor: ‘climate colonialism’ in perspective, Global Social Challenges Journal, XX(XX): 1–9, DOI: 10.1332/EIEM6688

Ghosh, B., Ramos-Mejía, M., Machado, R. C., Yuana, S. L., & Schiller, K. (2021). Decolonising transitions in the Global South: Towards more epistemic diversity in transitions research. Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, 41, 106-109.

Hölscher, K., Wittmayer, J. M., & Loorbach, D. (2018). Transition versus transformation: What’s the difference?. Environmental innovation and societal transitions, 27, 1-3.

Temper, L., Walter, M., Rodriguez, I., Kothari, A., & Turhan, E. (2018). A perspective on radical transformations to sustainability: resistances, movements and alternatives. Sustainability Science, 13(3), 747-764

Escobar, A. (2015). Degrowth, postdevelopment, and transitions: a preliminary conversation. Sustainability Science, 10(3), 451-462.

Feola, G. (2020). Capitalism in sustainability transitions research: Time for a critical turn?. Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, 35, 241-250.