Course Syllabus

Export

Obiettivo dell’insegnamento è quello di fornire adeguate conoscenze e capacità di lettura dell'attuale crisi ecologica globale, al fine di offrire a* student* la possibilità di formare una prospettiva complessiva sui percorsi delle transizioni verso la sostenibilità.

La crisi ecologica globale: impatti socio-economici.
I drivers della 'non-sostenibilità'.
Verso la sostenibilità.

Il corso affronta i seguenti temi:

  • Crisi ecologica globale e cambiamenti climatici;
  • I limiti del concetto di sostenibilità;
  • Le sfide di governance;
  • Global commodity chains;
  • Estrattivismo;
  • Minerali critici;
  • Combustibili fossili;
  • Allevamento;
  • Responsabilità;
  • Sostenibilità: phase-out/phase-in;
  • Cambiamento sociale;
  • Transizione energetica;
  • Turismo e sostenibilità

Tali argomenti sono supportatati dall’analisi di casi-studio e trattati secondo una prospettiva interdisciplinare.

Padronanza delle conoscenze teoriche e metodologiche della scienze sociali e buone capacità di apprendimento, di scrittura e comunicazione orale.

Lezioni frontali.

Analisi e commento della letteratura scientifica rilevante.

Seminari tenuti da esperti.

L'insegnamento è impartito in lingua inglese e i materiali di studio sono in lingua inglese.

Esame scritto: Saggio breve (esposizione critica di argomenti trattati a lezione).

Consiste nell'elaborare una argomentazione critica rispetto a una considerazione proposta dal docente che coinvolge e connette diversi dei temi trattati dal corso. Tale modalità di esame è la più opportuna rispetto alla valutazione delle capacità critiche sviluppate dagli studenti riguardo alla natura interdisciplinare che caratterizza il corso.

Parte I – La crisi ecologica globale: impatti socio-economici
Lezzione 1 – Policrisi
WEF Global Risk Report 2023 ¬– Executive summary: pp. 6-12
https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Global_Risks_Report_2023.pdf

Lezione 2 – La crisi climatica
Cernev, T. (2022). Global sustainability targets: Planetary boundary, global catastrophic risk, and disaster risk reduction considerations. Progress in Disaster Science, 16, 100264.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590061722000515

Parte II – I drivers della non-sostenibilità
Lezione 3 – I limiti della sostenibilità
Biermann, F., Hickmann, T., Sénit, C. A., Beisheim, M., Bernstein, S., Chasek, P., ... and Wicke, B. (2022). Scientific evidence on the political impact of the Sustainable Development Goals. Nature Sustainability, 5(9), 795-800.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-022-00909-5

Lezione 4 – Sfide di governance challenges
Lopez-Claros, A., Dahl, A., and Groff, M. (2020). Responding to Global Environmental Crises. Global Governance and the Emergence of Global Institutions for the 21st Century, 360-378.
https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/global-governance-and-the-emergence-of-global-institutions-for-the-21st-century/responding-to-global-environmental-crises/23C66FA03FB2C6A4D2C44A2DB14DA374#CN-bp-16

Lezione 5 – Global commodity chains
Wenar, L. (2015). Blood Oil: Tyrants, Violence, and the Rules That Run the World. Oxford University Press.
pp. ix-xvi; xix-xxiv
https://unimib.on.worldcat.org/search/detail/922887143?queryString=leif%20wenar&clusterResults=false&groupVariantRecords=false&stickyFacetsChecked=true&sortKey=BEST_MATCH

Lezione 6 – Estrattivismo
Chagnon, C. W., Durante, F., Gills, B. K., Hagolani-Albov, S. E., Hokkanen, S., Kangasluoma, S. M., ... and Vuola, M. P. (2022). From extractivism to global extractivism: the evolution of an organizing concept. The Journal of Peasant Studies, 49(4), 760-792.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03066150.2022.2069015

Lezione 7 – Minerali critici
Hernandez, D. S., and Newell, P. (2022). Oro blanco: assembling extractivism in the lithium triangle. The Journal of Peasant Studies, 49(5), 945-968.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03066150.2022.2080061?journalCode=fjps20
Levin, L. A., Amon, D. J., and Lily, H. (2020). Challenges to the sustainability of deep-seabed mining. Nature Sustainability, 3(10), 784-794.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-020-0558-x

Lezione 8 – Combustibili fossili
Grasso, M. (2019). Oily politics: A critical assessment of the oil and gas industry’s contribution to climate change. Energy Research & Social Science, 50, 106-115.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214629618306376

Lezione 9 – Allevamento
Lazarus, O., McDermid, S., and Jacquet, J. (2021). The climate responsibilities of industrial meat and dairy producers. Climatic Change, 165, 1-21.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10584-021-03047-7

Parte III – Verso la sostenibilità
Lezione 10 – Responsabilità
Grasso, M., ND Heede, R. (2023). Time to pay the piper: Fossil fuel companies’ reparations for climate damages. One Earth, 6(5), 459-463.
https://www.cell.com/one-earth/fulltext/S2590-3322(23)00198-7

Lezione 11 – Sostenibilità: Phase-out e phase-in
Paterson, M. (2021). ‘The end of the fossil fuel age’? Discourse politics and climate change political economy. New Political Economy, 26(6), 923-936.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13563467.2020.1810218

Lezione 12 – Cambiamento sociale verso la sostenibilità
Materiale fornito dal docente.

Lezzione 13 – La tranisione di un sistema socio-energetico
Delatin Rodrigues, D. Grasso, M. (2023). Social tipping processes in the transformation of Civitavecchia’s socio-energy system. In J. D. Tàbara, A. Flamos, D. Mangalagiu (Eds.) Positive Tipping Points towards Sustainability, Springer.

Lezione 14 – Turismo e transione verso la sostenbilità
Fennell, D. A., and Bowyer, E. (2020). Tourism and sustainable transformation: A discussion and application to tourism food consumption. Tourism Recreation Research, 45(1), 119-131.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02508281.2019.1694757

ENERGIA PULITA E ACCESSIBILE | RIDURRE LE DISUGUAGLIANZE | CITTÀ E COMUNITÀ SOSTENIBILI | CONSUMO E PRODUZIONE RESPONSABILI | LOTTA CONTRO IL CAMBIAMENTO CLIMATICO | VITA SOTT'ACQUA | PACE, GIUSTIZIA E ISTITUZIONI SOLIDE
Export

The objective of the course is to provide adequate knowledge to understand the current global ecological crasis, so that students can can acquire a general perspective on sustainability transitions.

The global ecolocial crisis: Socio-economic impacts of global ecological challenges.
The drivers of unsustainability.
Transitioning to sustainability.

The course addresses the follwing issues:

  • Polycrisis;
  • Climate crisis as a threat multiplier;
  • The limits of sustainability;
  • Governance challenges;
  • Global commodity chains;
  • Extractivism;
  • Critical minerals;
  • Fossil fuels;
  • Meat and dairy;
  • Responsibility for the climate crisis and reparations;
  • Phase out and phase in sustainability transitions;
  • Social change towards sustainability;
  • Example of the transition of a socio-energy system;
  • Tourism and sustainability transitions.

Such issues are dealt with in an interdisciplinary perspective and using case studies.

Knowledge of the theoretical and methodological foundations of social sciences and good writing and communication skills.

Lectures.

Collective analysis and comment of the relevant scholarly literature.

Seminars by Key-informants.

The course is in English and the study material is in English.

Written exam. Short essay (critical work based on the argument addressed in the classes throughout the course)

It requires students to develop a critical argument about an issue that covers and connects different topics analysed in the course. This modality is the most appropriate for assessing the critical skills developed by students in relation to the interdisciplinary nature of the course.

Part I – Unsustainability: Socio-economic impacts of global ecological challenges
Lesson 1 – Polycrisis
WEF Global Risk Report 2023 ¬– Executive summary: pp. 6-12
https://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Global_Risks_Report_2023.pdf

Lesson 2 – Climate crisis as a threat multiplier
Cernev, T. (2022). Global sustainability targets: Planetary boundary, global catastrophic risk, and disaster risk reduction considerations. Progress in Disaster Science, 16, 100264.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590061722000515

Part II – The drivers of unsustainability
Lesson 3 – The limits of sustainability
Biermann, F., Hickmann, T., Sénit, C. A., Beisheim, M., Bernstein, S., Chasek, P., ... and Wicke, B. (2022). Scientific evidence on the political impact of the Sustainable Development Goals. Nature Sustainability, 5(9), 795-800.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-022-00909-5

Lesson 4 – Governance challenges
Lopez-Claros, A., Dahl, A., and Groff, M. (2020). Responding to Global Environmental Crises. Global Governance and the Emergence of Global Institutions for the 21st Century, 360-378.
https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/global-governance-and-the-emergence-of-global-institutions-for-the-21st-century/responding-to-global-environmental-crises/23C66FA03FB2C6A4D2C44A2DB14DA374#CN-bp-16

Lesson 5 – Global commodity chains
Wenar, L. (2015). Blood Oil: Tyrants, Violence, and the Rules That Run the World. Oxford University Press.
pp. ix-xvi; xix-xxiv
https://unimib.on.worldcat.org/search/detail/922887143?queryString=leif%20wenar&clusterResults=false&groupVariantRecords=false&stickyFacetsChecked=true&sortKey=BEST_MATCH

Lesson 6 – Extractivism
Chagnon, C. W., Durante, F., Gills, B. K., Hagolani-Albov, S. E., Hokkanen, S., Kangasluoma, S. M., ... and Vuola, M. P. (2022). From extractivism to global extractivism: the evolution of an organizing concept. The Journal of Peasant Studies, 49(4), 760-792.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03066150.2022.2069015

Lesson 7 – Critical minerals
Hernandez, D. S., and Newell, P. (2022). Oro blanco: assembling extractivism in the lithium triangle. The Journal of Peasant Studies, 49(5), 945-968.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03066150.2022.2080061?journalCode=fjps20
Levin, L. A., Amon, D. J., and Lily, H. (2020). Challenges to the sustainability of deep-seabed mining. Nature Sustainability, 3(10), 784-794.
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41893-020-0558-x

Lesson 8 – Fossil fuels
Grasso, M. (2019). Oily politics: A critical assessment of the oil and gas industry’s contribution to climate change. Energy Research & Social Science, 50, 106-115.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214629618306376

Lesson 9 – Meat and dairy
Lazarus, O., McDermid, S., and Jacquet, J. (2021). The climate responsibilities of industrial meat and dairy producers. Climatic Change, 165, 1-21.
https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10584-021-03047-7

Part III – Transitioning to sustainability
Lesson 10 – Responsibility for the climate crisis and reparations
Grasso, M., ND Heede, R. (2023). Time to pay the piper: Fossil fuel companies’ reparations for climate damages. One Earth, 6(5), 459-463.
https://www.cell.com/one-earth/fulltext/S2590-3322(23)00198-7

Lesson 11 – Phase out and phase in sustainability transitions
Paterson, M. (2021). ‘The end of the fossil fuel age’? Discourse politics and climate change political economy. New Political Economy, 26(6), 923-936.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13563467.2020.1810218

Lesson 12 – Social change towards sustainability
Material provided by the instructor.

Lesson 13 – Example of the transition of a socio-energy system
Delatin Rodrigues, D. Grasso, M. (2023). Social tipping processes in the transformation of Civitavecchia’s socio-energy system. In J. D. Tàbara, A. Flamos, D. Mangalagiu (Eds.) Positive Tipping Points towards Sustainability, Springer.

Lesson 14 – Tourism and sustainability transitions
Fennell, D. A., and Bowyer, E. (2020). Tourism and sustainable transformation: A discussion and application to tourism food consumption. Tourism Recreation Research, 45(1), 119-131.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02508281.2019.1694757

AFFORDABLE AND CLEAN ENERGY | REDUCED INEQUALITIES | SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND COMMUNITIES | RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION | CLIMATE ACTION | LIFE BELOW WATER | PEACE, JUSTICE AND STRONG INSTITUTIONS
Enter

Key information

Field of research
M-GGR/02
ECTS
8
Term
First semester
Activity type
Mandatory
Course Length (Hours)
56
Degree Course Type
2-year Master Degreee
Language
English

Staff

    Teacher

  • Marco Grasso
    Marco Grasso

Students' opinion

View previous A.Y. opinion

Bibliography

Find the books for this course in the Library

Enrolment methods

Manual enrolments
Self enrolment (Student)

Sustainable Development Goals

AFFORDABLE AND CLEAN ENERGY - Ensure access to affordable, reliable, sustainable and modern energy for all
REDUCED INEQUALITIES - Reduce inequality within and among countries
SUSTAINABLE CITIES AND COMMUNITIES - Make cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable
RESPONSIBLE CONSUMPTION AND PRODUCTION - Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns
CLIMATE ACTION - Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts
LIFE BELOW WATER - Conserve and sustainably use the oceans, seas and marine resources for sustainable development
PEACE, JUSTICE AND STRONG INSTITUTIONS - Promote peaceful and inclusive societies for sustainable development, provide access to justice for all and build effective, accountable and inclusive institutions at all levels