Normative Dimension of Sustainability

Full course description

This course will explore the relationship between environmental sustainability and social justice. We will explore the historical development of discourses and actions including but not limited to environmental justice, sustainability, and resilience. Through these theories and discourses, we will explore the possible tension between economic growth and environmental degradation, analyze environmental movements, and evaluate claims made by researchers, activists, and politicians about the connections between environmental harms and social factors such as gender, class, age, and race. To do so, we will make use of a broad range of disciplines, including philosophy, economics, sociology, urban studies, and environmental studies. Specifically, we will look at the social contexts and impacts of environmental problems such as waste management, land use, air quality, flooding, food security, and climate change.