240527 SE Waste (P4) (2023S)

What is waste? Definitions always depend on the context. Still, it remains a fact that industrial societies produce enormous quantities of waste. Yet, waste can also be the basis of human subsistence and a valued resource, and not just in the so called Global South. But living from waste and living with waste can also be a social stigma; ranging from working at garbage disposal to collecting recycling material in order to make a living. At the same time, people discover waste products as a new resource: dumpster divers find their food in rubbish bins, curb shoppers furnish their flats with discarded furniture, free stores hand out goods and commodities that their previous owners disposed of, and a whole range of new business ideas develop around upcycling and urban mining. Avoiding waste altogether is equally increasing as a trend, with zero-waste shops, cradle-to-cradle, and blogs and books promoting the zero-waste lifestyle. In this sense, waste also opens up new possibilities for people. In this course we will take a closer look at the norms defining waste, and investigate people’s relationship with waste.
Students engage with and are able to discuss relevant concepts and theories. Students practice their skills by researching their own topics and presenting their results. By reading and discussing papers, students increase their abilities to engage with and understand academic writing.
Some lecture inputs (including some audio-visual material), academic articles, discussions in class, reflections, short poster presentations, final paper.