Pursuing Sustainability: Managing Complex Social Environmental Systems

Catalog description

This course considers and utilizes systems frameworks and models for thinking about and pursuing sustainability (defined by the goal of inclusive intra- and intergenerational well-being) in complex, adaptive, intertwined social-environmental systems. It argues that meeting the goal of sustainability requires drawing on assets (or resources) from five major groups ? human, social, manufactured, natural and knowledge capital assets ? while at the same time building and sustaining them over time. The course illustrates, using lectures, readings, and case study analyses, why analyzing and managing those assets within complex and dynamic integrated systems is challenging, and discusses the characteristics of complex systems that make achieving sustainability goals so challenging. It provides an overview of how to intervene in complex systems to pursue sustainability, including visioning, collaboration, and change theories; governing for sustainability; and strategies, tools, and metrics that assist with the pursuit of sustainability goals. The course draws on readings from one core text (Matson et al. 2016) as well as from a variety of other published literature and case studies. Priority given to SUST students. Enrollment open to seniors and graduate students only. Please contact Bhe Balde ([email protected]) for permission code.