CSD 631: Whole Systems: Sustainability, Equity and the Environment

CSD 631: Whole Systems: Sustainability, Equity and the Environment
Philip Snyder, PhD / Gary Gumpert, PhD / Susan Drucker, PhD

This course will present a broad overview of the manifold, interconnected challenges facing humanity worldwide as we attempt to forge a future in which the ability of future generations to live well in a thriving biosphere is not diminished by the social, political and economic systems of the present generation. How can a truly sustainable future be developed which provides equity, environmental integrity and peace for all people? This will include analysis of the planetary whole system as very complex sets of component systems and their overlap and interconnection. Structured dialogue will be employed by the students as a means of understanding and clarifying the main dynamics of these problems (e.g. climate change, species loss, rich/poor gap, etc) and in turn discovering new approaches to address these challenges that incorporate emergent new technologies and the wisdom of collective intelligence.

Evaluation will include class participation, course papers, and the work of student teams to propose detailed research and action projects which can address these issues.

Syllabus Reading Resources:
• Wüstenhagen, R. (2008). Sustainable innovation and entrepreneurship. Edward Elgar Publishing.
• Ellis, T. (2010). The New Pioneers: Sustainable business success through social innovation and social entrepreneurship. John Wiley & Sons.
• Laperche, B., Levratto, N., & Uzunidis, D. (Eds.). (2012). Crisis, Innovation and Sustainable Development: The Ecological Opportunity. Edward Elgar Publishing.