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| Semester | spring semester 2022 |
| Course frequency | Every spring sem. |
| Lecturers | Iljana Schubert (iljana.schubert@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | Transforming today’s energy systems in industrialized countries includes a substantial reduction of the total energy consumption at the individual level. Selected instruments have been found to be effective in changing people’s behavior in single domains, however, households seems to be quite inert in their energy consumption. The so far weak success story on reducing overall energy consumption indicates that our understanding of the determining factors of individual energy consumption as well as of its change is far from being conclusive. Thereby, households or individuals are not treated as energy consumers properly speaking but as consumer of energy services. This widens the horizon to also include people's („socially constructed“) wants. We will introduce different disciplinary approaches in the field of changing individual energy behavior to clarify the diverging perceptions of the opportunities to change the behavior. Regarding economics, energy is often seen as a commodity and consumers will adapt usage in response to price signals. In psychological conceptions, energy use can be affected by stimulus-response mechanisms or by promoting environmental values. Sociology is often not looking at individuals but at practices displaying social meanings in relation to „materials". Having revealed strengths and weaknesses of these approaches we will focus on an interdisciplinary frame integrating different perspectives on the change of individual energy behavior. Finally, we will further investigate and discuss the prospects and limitations of different governance/intervention strategies on multiple levels that are directed at changing individual energy behavior. |
| Learning objectives | The class will - learn disciplinary approaches about changing individual energy behavior from economics, psychology, social sciences; - reveal the benefits and the necessity of an interdisciplinary approach to understand changes in individual energy behavior; - identify different governance strategies and levels of intervention to changing individual energy behavior. |
| Bibliography | tba in class |
| Comments | Please note entry requirements and mandatory course application procedure (additional to registration on MOnA): Seminar is full, no course enrollment on MOnA possible anymore. MSD 2017 For students with focus area in social sciences the seminar is optional for the "Core Competences in Social Scienes" module. Transfer of credit points to the "Focal Areas in Sustainability Research" module (learning agreement) is possible for all students. This seminar is offered by MSD. Dr. Iljana Schubert is a member of the Sustainability Research Group, Dep. of Social Sciences, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. |
| Admission requirements | Special course application required for ALL (for details see 'course application' or 'Anmeldung'): Seminar is full. Limited number of participants (25), Students of the MSD (incl. preparation semester) and JIDSD have a first priority, those of the listed programs (see list of modules) have a second priority. If you study something different you must do a master's degree within the Department of Social Sciences/Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences and may attend the seminar in case of vacancies (= third priority). MSD 2017 MSD students who have chosen the focus area in natural sciences or in economics must have completed (or at least 8 CP) the “Complementary Knowledge in Social Sciences” module. |
| Course application | Seminar is full, no course enrollment on MOnA possible anymore. |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Thursday | 12.15-14.00 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 02 |
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday 24.02.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 02 |
| Thursday 03.03.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 02 |
| Thursday 10.03.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Fasnachtsferien |
| Thursday 17.03.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 02 |
| Thursday 24.03.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 02 |
| Thursday 31.03.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 02 |
| Thursday 07.04.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 02 |
| Thursday 14.04.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Ostern |
| Thursday 21.04.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 02 |
| Thursday 28.04.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 02 |
| Thursday 05.05.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 02 |
| Thursday 12.05.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 02 |
| Thursday 19.05.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 02 |
| Thursday 26.05.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Auffahrt |
| Thursday 02.06.2022 | 12.15-14.00 | Rosshofgasse (Schnitz), Seminarraum S 02 |
| Modules |
Module: Core Competences in Social Sciences (Master's Studies: Sustainable Development) Module: Resources and Sustainability (Master's degree program: Changing Societies: Migration – Conflicts – Resources) Vertiefungsmodul Global Europe: Umwelt und Nachhaltigkeit (Master's Studies: European Global Studies) |
| Assessment format | continuous assessment |
| Assessment details | Regular attendance, required reading, oral presentation, written essay. |
| Assessment registration/deregistration | Reg.: course registration, dereg: cancel course registration |
| Repeat examination | no repeat examination |
| Scale | 1-6 0,1 |
| Repeated registration | as often as necessary |
| Responsible faculty | University of Basel |
| Offered by | Fachbereich Nachhaltigkeitsforschung |