Sustainability Challenges and Systems 5 credits

The course introduces theories and perspectives addressing sustainability challenges and systems. In the course, students gain knowledge about grand sustainability challenges and wicked problems, as well as systems theories. Systems theories range from earth science systems to systems thinking, complex systems, complex adaptive systems, dynamic systems and ecosystems. Students explore underlying interactions, interdependencies, and mechanisms of sustainability challenges with a systems perspective through cases and real life examples. The topics covered in the course include: - Perspectives and concepts for addressing sustainability challenges, including grand societal challenges and wicked problems,Theories, perspectives, and concepts for systems, including systems thinking, complex systems, dynamic systems and ecosystems. - Case analysis of sustainable and non sustainable systemic problems with different theories. **Connection to Research and Practice** The course is based on research on various theories and perspectives of systems. The literature in the course includes books, blogs, and journal articles embracing systems in an embedded view of sustainability. Through the analysis and application of the selected materials, the students examine each topic and learn about the implications and considerations of systems thinking from a theoretical as well as practical perspective. The course is core to MMTC and CEFEO research centres where research on sustainability has been initiated. Students participate in group project work which includes application-oriented seminars with case studies for the development of students’ complexity awareness in line with the Inner Development Goals. The course activities foster students’ ability to understand and work with complex and systemic conditions and casualties.