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| Semester | fall semester 2022 |
| Course frequency | Irregular |
| Lecturers |
Paul Burger (paul.burger@unibas.ch, Assessor)
Marius Christen (marius.christen@unibas.ch) |
| Content | Quality of Life and Sustainability: Theoretical and Empirical Approaches Sustainability is very often understood in terms of environmental protection („saving the planet“). Well-being or quality of life and the like 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“) – at least in countries of the Global North. There are, however, very good reasons to deal with them as being inextricably linked with 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. Second, we will gain insights from ongoing empirical research on well-being that especially takes relations to consumption into account. Against that backdrop, we will consider literature related to change of consumption patterns („sustainable consumption“) to gain a better understanding on the relationship as well as on interesting research questions in that field. |
| Learning objectives | Students - will know different theoretical and empirical approaches to well-being - will know relations between well-being and sustainability (by looking at the debate on sustainable consumption) - are able to critically discuss claims regarding well-being and sustainability |
| Bibliography | tba in class |
| 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 "Focal Areas in Sustainability Research" module (learning agreement) is possible for all students. This seminar is offered by the MSD. Prof. Dr. Paul Burger is a member of the teaching committee MSD and head of the Sustainability Research Group, Dep. of Social Sciences, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences. Dr. M. Christen holds a teaching assignment. |
| 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 MSD 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 | Mandatory application for ALL! Link open from 18.08.22/noon-04.09.22/midnight: https://adam.unibas.ch/goto_adam_fold_744967.html Login and application only possible with open link. Login button on top row right hand side of ADAM website. 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 29.09.22/noon. 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 | 16.15-18.00 | Bernoullistrasse 14/16, Kleiner Seminarraum 02.001 |
| 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 reading, oral presentation, essay. Details according to information of lecturers. |
| 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 |