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57243-01 - Seminar: Quality of Life and Sustainability: Theoretical and Empirical Approaches (3 CP)
| Semester | fall semester 2023 |
| Course frequency | Irregular |
| Lecturers |
Marius Christen (marius.christen@unibas.ch)
Adam Hearn (adam.hearn@unibas.ch, Assessor) |
| Content | Sustainability is very often understood in terms of environmental protection („saving the planet“). Well-being or quality of life as well as justice are also very often conceived of as either something different from sustainability or even the opposite of sustainable development („we do not want to go back to the cave“). There are, however, very good reasons to look upon them as being inextricably linked to each other. The seminar will go along this line. We will first look at different theoretical approaches to well-being (or quality of life) following the hedonic (life satisfaction, happiness) and the eudaemonic (e.g., capabilities) tradition and having a look at empirical studies on how well-being might matter. We will then look at different conceptions and elementary questions of intergenerational justice and reflect how intergenerational justice and sustainability are being operationalized. A particular focus will be on the capability approach. The seminar has the format of a research seminar. The paper Burger & Christen 2022 builds its reference point. |
| Learning objectives | The students - will know different approaches to well-being & justice - will know relations between well-being, justice and sustainability - are able to critically discuss claims regarding well-being, justice in relation to sustainability - are able to understand how well-being and justice research can be applied empirically in relation to sustainability. |
| Bibliography | Burger, P. and Christen, M., 2022. Sustainability, well-being and justice. In The Routledge Handbook of Democracy and Sustainability (pp. 135-149). Routledge. |
| Comments | Please note entry requirements and mandatory course application procedure (additional to registration on MOnA). MSD 2017 For students with focus area in social sciences the seminar is optional for the "Core Competences in Social Sciences" module. Transfer of credit points to the FASR module (learning agreement, template available on website MSD/downloads MSD 2017) is possible for all students. This seminar is offered by the MSD. Dr. A. Hearn and Dr. M. Christen hold teaching assignments. |
| Admission requirements | Special course application required for ALL (for details see 'course application' or 'Anmeldung'). Limited number of participants (20), Students of the MSD, IJDSD and the listed programs (see list of modules) have 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. No other students admitted. MSD 2017 Students who have chosen the focus area in natural sciences or in economics must have completed the “Complementary knowledge in Social Sciences” module (at least 8 CP). |
| Course application | Please note entry requirements. For details see section "admission requirements". Mandatory application for ALL! Link open from 16. August 23/noon-06. September 23/midnight: https://adam.unibas.ch/goto_adam_crs_544052.html Login and application only possible with open link. Link guides to the ADAM website, you still have to do the login. First emails with confirmation of participation will be sent out at the end of the first deadline. In case of vacancies the online application link remains open until 27. September 23/midnight. Course enrollment on MOnA should be completed by the beginning of the teaching period (withdrawal possible until Monday of teaching week five). |
| Language of instruction | English |
| Use of digital media | No specific media used |
| Interval | Weekday | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|---|
| wöchentlich | Thursday | 14.15-16.00 | Vesalianum, Seminarraum (O2.02) |
Dates
| Date | Time | Room |
|---|---|---|
| Thursday 21.09.2023 | 14.15-16.00 | Vesalianum, Seminarraum (O2.02) |
| Thursday 28.09.2023 | 14.15-16.00 | Vesalianum, Seminarraum (O2.02) |
| Thursday 05.10.2023 | 14.15-16.00 | Vesalianum, Seminarraum (O2.02) |
| Thursday 12.10.2023 | 14.15-16.00 | Vesalianum, Seminarraum (O2.02) |
| Thursday 19.10.2023 | 14.15-16.00 | Vesalianum, Seminarraum (O2.02) |
| Thursday 26.10.2023 | 14.15-16.00 | Vesalianum, Seminarraum (O2.02) |
| Thursday 02.11.2023 | 14.15-16.00 | Vesalianum, Seminarraum (O2.02) |
| Thursday 09.11.2023 | 14.15-16.00 | Vesalianum, Seminarraum (O2.02) |
| Thursday 16.11.2023 | 14.15-16.00 | Vesalianum, Seminarraum (O2.02) |
| Thursday 23.11.2023 | 14.15-16.00 | Vesalianum, Seminarraum (O2.02) |
| Thursday 30.11.2023 | 14.15-16.00 | Vesalianum, Seminarraum (O2.02) |
| Thursday 07.12.2023 | 14.15-16.00 | Vesalianum, Seminarraum (O2.02) |
| Thursday 14.12.2023 | 14.15-16.00 | Vesalianum, Seminarraum (O2.02) |
| Thursday 21.12.2023 | 14.15-16.00 | Vesalianum, Seminarraum (O2.02) |
| 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 | Compulsory attendance in presence, required readings, oral presentations, essay. Details: 1) Oral presentation on one of the sub-topics: prepare questions for the plenary discussion – relate the topic critically to Burger & Christen 2022 (15’ max) 2) Oral presentation of a topic/idea for a written essay (5’ max) 3) Essay submission (short seminar paper); length: 15-20'000 characters blanks but not references included, with a minimum of using/discussing 5 scientific papers. Deadline for submission: 22.January 2024 (no postponing). Further information and inputs given during the classes. |
| 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 |