Exploring Sustainability: Ecological, Economics and Environmental Humanities

Catalog description

Sustainability, which in broad terms aims at advancing human well-being within planetary boundaries, is a vital necessity in the 21st century but also a 'wicked problem' that demands to be studied from different angles. This innovative class offers two perspectives on sustainability: first, it pairs ecological economics with environmental humanities to allow for an interdisciplinary approach of sustainability's challenges; second, it offers a practical perspective on sustainability focused on the city of Paris to apply analytical insights on the ground and convert theory into sustainable practices. The course aims at equipping students with sustainability analytical toolbox from an ecological economics and environmental humanities perspectives: students will learn the fundamental of sustainability economics as well as put them in perspective with the help of philosophy, literature and art. Students will also learn, within the 'Paris sustainability lab' how to apply sustainability tools on the ground by engaging in a practical sustainability challenge facing Paris; energy, water supply, climate risks, social and environmental inequality, the Seine flooding, etc. Each of the 10 two hours and a half session will be organized as follows: 1 hour lecture on ecological economics; 30 minutes counterpoint on environmental humanities; 15 minutes break and 45 minutes of 'Paris sustainability lab' with a student presentation and collective Forum on sustainability challenges facing the city of Paris. (Course was offered as OSPPARIS 22 prior to AY25-26)