Governance for Sustainability

About the course

The course explores the role of institutions and policies in the governance of sustainability dilemmas across the different constellations of stakeholders at different scales from local to global. Using the experience of others to understand crucial elements in institutional design will foster social learning.

The course departs from post-normal conditions, which refers to situations in which "facts are uncertain, complexity is the norm, values are in dispute, stakes are high and decisions are urgent". The post-normal theory aims to recast the view of the nature of socio-biophysical problems as social dilemmas whereby the governance situation is shaped by an irreducible degree of complexity and uncertainty and the presence of power differentials.

This course encourages you to critically reflect upon the appropriate mix of coercive and non-coercive policy instruments to enable transformation in different contexts under post-normal conditions.

Outline for distance course: The course is performed online for example via Zoom. The course includes two hours of lectures two times every week and two hours of mandatory group work or seminars two times every week. Communication between student and teacher will be mediated online via communication platforms such as Zoom, email and Studium. In order to participate in this distance course students will need access to the internet, a PC or Mac computer and a web browser, for example, Google Chrome, and a headset with a microphone and speakers. The examination consists of written assignments, participation in mandatory seminars and group assignments. The tasks and activities making up the exam will be mediated via an online communication platform.