Capita Selecta: Making sense of "degrowth"

This Capita Selecta introduces students to the concept and theoretical underpinnings of "degrowth". What is degrowth? Is degrowth the solution for an environmentally and socially sustainable future? Will degrowth make societies happier? Why is degrowth so heavily debated and contested? In this Capita Selecta you will grapple with these questions through deep reading of a literature list that you can assemble yourself in consultatioon with your teacher. You will write a short essay on the basis of the literature and discuss your views on degrowth with your peers. Follwoing this approach, you learn to create an informed opinion on degrowth, which makes you a better qualified participant to a societal debate that urgently needs knowledge-based input. This course helps you to make sense of degrowth and you can help others do the same.

After successful completion of this course students are expected to be able to:

• Make sense of the concept of degrowth
• Critically evaluate the implications of degrowth for an envrionmentally and socially sustainable future
• Assess the theories underpinning the idea of degrowth
• Understand the history of the degrowth movement
• Bring informed opinions into the societal debate on degrowth

Assumed Knowledge:
Basic economic theory