Power in sustainability transitions, 7.5 credits

Entry requirements

Basic eligibility for courses at the research education level is granted to those who have:

• Obtained a degree at an advanced level,
• Completed course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits (ECTS), including at least 60 ECTS at an advanced level, or acquired equivalent knowledge in some other way.

Specific information

The PhD-course Power in sustainability transitions is a PhD-course open for PhD-students at Linköping University as well as other (Swedish) Universities. The course is based on a series of seminars with guest lecturers, that the PhD students have to prepare for in advance. The lecturers will be researchers that have published on theories and approaches to understand, identify, and analyse issues of power, disempowerment, empowerment in relation to sustainability transitions. Sustainable consumption will be a particular focus.

Learning outcomes

Having completed the course, the PhD-student should be:

• familiar with theories and perspectives on power dynamics related to sustainability transitions

• able to analyse and critically reflect on power dynamics in sustainability transitions, both in general and for specific contexts and on different levels of society

• able to use theories/perspectives on power to reflect on the student’s own PhD research project

• be able to orally and in writing present and critically examine theories and perspectives on power dynamics related to sustainability transitions

Contents

The focus of the course is on theories and approaches that are central for understanding and analysing issues of power in relation to sustainability transitions. Transition related to consumption will be a particular focus. Several perspectives on how power issues and relations in sustainability transitions can be understood and addressed will be brought up. These perspectives will be presented by invited lecturers who have published on the topic.

The lectures will be accompanied by discussion seminars. The PhD students will read literature for each lecture and seminar in advance and prepare a written reflection. There will also be seminars in which the PhD-students themselves can add and present additional papers that they find important for understanding power in transitions.

The students will use the lectures, literature and seminars as a basis for writing a text that describes different theories and perspectives including a discussion of their strengths and weaknesses as well as their usefulness in the students ongoing PhD projects.

Educational methods

Educational methods in this course are lectures and accompanying seminars. In addition, the course leader will be available for individual supervision when the PhD-students are writing their papers.

Examination

To pass the course, the following parts must have been completed:

• Preparation for and active participation in all seminars. Absence from seminars can be compensated for by extra assignments.
• Select and present a scientific publication on power, in addition to the course literature, during a seminar
• Write a reflective paper (2-5 pages) with the aim to account perspectives brought up during the course as well as relating relevant parts of the course to their ongoing PhD projects.
• Present your own and participate in the discussion of other students' course assignment at an examination seminar.

Students who have not passed the course are offered one opportunity for re-examination in connection with the course. Thereafter, participation in examination at a later course is offered. The scope of the re-examination shall be the same as that of the regular examination.

Change of examiner

A student who has failed twice in the examination of the course or part of the course has the right, upon request, to have another examiner during the new examination opportunity, unless there are specific reasons against it.

The course will use the grades Pass or Fail

Grading

Course literature

The course literature is linked to the theme of the seminars and the invited lecturers. A definitive reading list for each seminar is decided and sent out no later than four weeks before the seminar.

General information

A preliminary list of seminars and literature can be found in Appendix 1 Course syllabus: Power in sustainability transitions