21st Century Wicked Challenges

Recommended Prerequisites

Not applicable.

Teaching Methods

Lectures (24h), including group discussions and exercises during lectures and a game-based workshop on ecological compensation; independent reading of course materials and writing a learning journal (or alternatively a thematic essay) reflecting on course themes and personal learning process.

Learning Outcomes

Wicked problems are such social or cultural problems that seem very difficult or impossible to solve due to their complexity, knowledge uncertainties and interconnectedness with other problems. Climate change is typically one such wicked problem. After the course, students understand the difference between “tame” and “wicked” problems in concrete settings. They are prepared to consider various value-driven views on global sustainability issues and examine how they play out in policy arenas at different governance levels. Students are equipped to explicitly consider and analyze the relationship between futures studies and policy-making.

Work Placement(s)

No

Syllabus

The course discusses the most urgent challenges of the 21st century and how futures studies contributes to framing them. Discussed problems include climate change mitigation and adaptation, biodiversity loss, and food insecurity.

During the course, we discuss the role of scientific knowledge in political processes and problematization (by various actors) as a political activity. We also address the role of resilience in dealing with these challenges and the disruptive events they create. As a specific policy example, we analyze the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and discuss different theoretical and practical models beyond the framework of sustainability, such as the planetary boundaries and the doughnut economy, degrowth and ecological reconstruction. We practice our imagination and futures thinking and apply different futures studies methods in the course exercises.

Assessment Methods

Assessment
Other: 100.0%

Bibliography

Bibliography consists of a selection of newest international journal articles.