This module addresses the critical challenges to global sustainability brought about by human political and economic activity at an unprecedented pace and scale, and how these are underpinned by unequal structures of power and the violence of historical and contemporary cultural relations with both human and non-human others. Key concepts such as the Anthropocene, the Great Acceleration, and Planetary Boundaries are introduced, as well as critical analyses by political, philosophical and feminist thinkers who propose alternatives such as the Capitalocene and the Plantationocene. After the global transformations brought about by industrialisation, colonialism, globalisation and the rise of mass consumption, students are encouraged to consider what 'sustainability' means to different people in different contexts, and will explore contemporary approaches to social and environmental sustainability at different scales and in different cultures. Examples include the circular economy, the bioeconomy, bioregionalism and local material ecologies, the commons, regenerative economics, and the degrowth movement. We will ask how design has been deeply implicated in both unsustainable production and unequal growth as well as the development of strategies for sustainability and alternative ways of living in the world. 

Courses will be held in a combination of English and German.

Qualifikationsziele

Develop an understanding of key concepts in the analysis of social and ecological crises, diverse theories about to how to 'live sustainably', and the role of design in contributing to these. Develop skills in summarising and synthesising complex information from a variety of sources, relate these to students' own design practice, and deliver clear, well-structured presentations on selected topics.