LPINT7265 Sustainable Development in Theory and Practice Course Descriptor

Course Overview

This interdisciplinary course addresses theoretical and practical discussions around the ways that sustainable development is understood, together with how these understandings shape policy initiatives and have an impact on the politics of sustainability. Different theoretical approaches to sustainable development are critically discussed, in relation to a variety of practical case studies, policy frameworks, financial concerns, international and national arrangements, institutional settings, power dynamics, political bargaining and material interests. The course offers students theoretical and analytical skills which directly correlate to the growing labour markets in sustainable development.

The course situates its examination of sustainable development at the intersection of international political economy, development studies and green economics. Accordingly, the evolution of the concept and practice of development from a growth-centric and economics-oriented perspective towards a focus on social, economic and environmental sustainability is discussed, leading to a critical engagement with the ongoing tension between economic growth and environmental sustainability. Issues of social development pertaining to poverty and inequality, access to health and education, gender and racial equality are examined in relation to the UN Millennium Development Goals and the UN Sustainable Development Goals. The course’s critical approach extends to a consideration of possible alternatives to conceiving and measuring development in relation to sustainability.

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the course, students will be able to:

Knowledge and Understanding

Subject Specific Skills

Transferable and Professional Skills

Teaching and Learning

This course has a dedicated Virtual Learning Environment (VLE) page with a syllabus and range of additional resources (e.g. readings, question prompts, tasks, assignment briefs, discussion boards) to orientate and engage you in your studies.

The scheduled teaching and learning activities for this course are:

• Lectures
• Seminars
• Office hours

Co-curricular activities as applicable

Students can expect to receive a minimum of 16.5 scheduled hours per 15-credit course.

Faculty hold regular ‘office hours’, which are opportunities for students to drop in or sign up to explore ideas, raise questions, or seek targeted guidance or feedback, individually or in small groups.

Students are to attend and participate in all the scheduled teaching and learning activities for this course and to manage their directed learning and independent study.

Indicative total learning hours for this course: 150

Employability Skills

• Develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills
• Present findings and opinions in a clear, structured manner, whether orally or in writing
• Engage in collaborative and constructive discussion
• Reconcile theoretical frameworks with real-life practice
• Evaluate project outcomes
• Develop academic research skills
• Develop public policy making and political consulting skills

Assessment

Formative

Students will be formatively assessed during the course in seminar activities and by means of assignments that offer opportunities to develop, practise and refine the same skills in research, writing, presentation and communication that will be assessed in the summative assessment elements for the course. These assessments have been designed to foster engagement with society and the world, the ability to intervene in political activities and the making of policy, and cooperation with relevant actors, institutions, organisations and industries. Formative assessments do not count towards the end of year results, but will provide students with regular developmental feedback.

Summative

All assignments will be assessed in accordance with the assessment aims set out in the Programme Specification. The aim of the assessments is to equip the students with both employability and academic skills.

Typically:

• AE1 will consist of an individual oral presentation on a case study (with a written and component)
• AE2 will consist of an experiment with sustainability tools (either modelling or applied digital tools) in the form of a group project.

Feedback

Students will receive formal feedback in a variety of ways: written (including via email correspondence), oral (e.g. on an ad hoc basis) and indirectly through discussion during seminars.

Feedback is provided on summative assessment and is made available to the student either via email, the VLE or another appropriate method.

The Virtual Learning Environment provides an opportunity for you to interact with both other students and tutors. A discussion forum is provided through which you can post questions regarding any study topic that you have difficulty with, or for which you require further clarification.

Indicative Reading

Note: Comprehensive and current reading lists for courses are produced annually in the Course Syllabus or other documentation provided to students; the indicative reading list provided below is used as part of the approval/modification process only.

Books

Ashford, N.A. & Hall, R.P. (2019). Technology, Globalization, and Sustainable Development: Transforming the Industrial State. Routledge

Atkinson, G., Dietz, S., Neumayer, E., Agarwala, M. (2014). Handbook of Sustainable Development (2nd Edition). Edward Elgar.

Bexell, M. & Jönsson, K. (2021). The Politics of the Sustainable Development Goals: Legitimacy, Responsibility, and Accountability. Routledge.

Blewitt, J. (2015). Understanding Sustainable Development (2nd edition). Routledge.

Fukuda-Parr, S. (2017). Millennium Development Goals: Ideas, Interests and Influence. Routledge.

Guerrero, O.A. & Castañeda, G. (2024). Complexity Economics and Sustainable Development. Cambridge University Press.

Helm, D., 2023. Legacy: How to Build a Sustainable Economy. Cambridge University Press.

Hickel, J. (2020). Less is More: How Degrowth Will Save the World. Penguin.

Kish, K. & Quilley, S. (2022). Ecological Limits of Development: Living with the Sustainable Development Goals. Routledge.

Klein, N. (2014). This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The Climate. Penguin.

Pal, D.B. and Jha, J.M. (eds) (2022) Sustainable and Clean Energy Production Technologies. Singapore: Springer.

Reinert, E.S. & Kvangraven, I.H. (eds.) (2023). A Modern Guide to Uneven Economic Development. Edward Elgar Publishing.

Rist, G. (2008). The History of Development: From Western Origins to Global Faith (3rd Edition). Zed.

Sachs, J.D. (2015). The Age of Sustainable Development. Columbia University Press.

Journals

IMF Policy Papers Series

World Development 

Development and Change 

European Journal of Development Research 

Latin American Perspectives 

Third World Quarterly 

Journal of Development Studies 

The New Internationalist 

International Journal of Educational Development

Gender and Development

Electronic Resources

IISD. (n.d.) International Institute for Sustainable Development: https://www.iisd.org/

UN-DESA. (n.d.) Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform. [Online]. Division for

Sustainable Development (DSD), United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (UN-DESA):  https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/

UNDP Library: https://www.undp.org/content/undp/en/home/librarypage.html

World Bank eLibrary: https://elibrary.worldbank.org/

IMF eLibrary:  https://www.elibrary.imf.org/

Indicative Topics

• Sustainable development: challenges and opportunities
• Mainstream sustainable development
• Measuring sustainable development
• Economic and social development
• Politics and governance of sustainable development
• Climate change and environmental sustainability
• Millennium Development Goals and Sustainable Development Goals

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