- Enseignant-e: Marlyne Sahakian
In the past, efforts towards “sustainable development” have focused primarily on production processes, or the realm of engineers, designers, and environmental scientists, with “consumers” remaining a black box of complexity for many. Sociology has much to contribute to an understanding of consumer culture and social practices, yet there are competing understandings of why and in what way people consume – highlighting the structure-actor dichotomy in social sciences. What’s more, proposed measures for transitions or transformations to more sustainable forms of consumption are also contested, involving different theories of social change and innovations.
This course aims to provide students with the tools necessary for understanding (un)sustainable consumption as a complex and multi-disciplinary area of research and practice, involving competing theories of consumption studies and social change. Students will gain an overview of the main issues related to consumption and sustainability, including the historical roots of a consumer culture, and the environmental and social consequences of current consumption patterns. Thematic areas will be explored in depth, including food consumption and waste, mobility and urban development, and household energy consumption, among others. Examples from emerging economies will be provided. Finally, students will engage in debates and group work, towards applying the different theoretical frameworks, as well as explore “visions of the future”, towards designing social innovations.