290076 SE Globalisation and Sustainable Development (2024S)

This seminar is part of the specialization track on Socio-Economic Transformations in the Master program Geography: Global Change and Sustainability.
Globalization is often described as the processes linked to global production in the world economy such as the organizationally fragmented yet geographically dispersed mode of commodity production and its uneven social and environmental outcomes. Yet, global production represents one dimension of the world economy which co-exists with various other dynamics at multiple geographical and organizational scales. This seminar addresses some of the emerging geographical questions about sustainable development on a global scale by drawing on various perspectives – sociotechnical transitions, global (re)production networks and global value chains, and regional economic resilience. The focus is on industries such as tourism, fashion, energy-resources-materials, recycling, food and consumer electronics. Alongside global drivers and restraints, the course also dives into regulatory measures such as international standards and certification systems as possible policy instruments to regulate global production and facilitate more sustainable and socially just system transformations.
The seminar aims to enable students to understand, critically assess and engage with sustainability topics as part of complex global dynamics. Through literature, writing and reading formats, students are introduced to relevant conceptual-analytical approaches to solidify their understanding of grand societal challenges in space and time. While some input is planned by the course leaders, emphasis will be on interactive learning through group discussions, assignments and constructive feedback.