Course Content

The MOOC “DeMOOC: Sustainability and Democracy - Connections, Potentials and Obstacles” consists of four units that build on each other in terms of content. The course serves as a thematic extension of the DeMOOC series and focuses on the topic of sustainability in the context of society, international politics, democracy and education, among other things.

Unit 1 begins with the meaning of the term sustainability. First, the origins of the term and its historical development up to the establishment of sustainability in a scientific context are explained. Following on from this, the political developments in the 20th century towards sustainability as a guiding principle for action are traced using trend-setting international agreements and reports. In the next step, the most important sustainability models are explained with reference to the various dimensions of sustainability (social, ecological, political, economic). Finally, the unit focuses on the topic of greenwashing in the context of corporate strategies and explains how to recognize greenwashing and what you can do about it yourself.

Unit 2 examines the establishment of sustainability goals and strategies from the global to the local level, with a focus on developments since the turn of the millennium. The 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals as well as the European Green Deal and Local Agenda 21 are discussed in depth. The central points of criticism of these strategies and their implementation are also repeatedly discussed. Finally, a degrowth-critical perspective is introduced with the concept of degrowth. In line with this criticism, alternatives to growth-oriented production and lifestyles are presented, as proposed and demanded by the degrowth movement.

Unit 3 focuses on the concept of the imperial mode of living as an explanation for worsening crises and as a structural obstacle to sustainable development. The extent to which political decisions and everyday actions in the Global North favor these global dynamics and thus prevent a good life for all is shown. To this end, the concept is explained in the context of the need for a socio-ecological transformation. As a counterproposal to this, the question of alternatives and possibilities for solidary ways of living and doing business will be explored. To further deepen the examination of the link between social and ecological issues, the unit concludes with the topic of climate justice.

The final key topic of the course is the connection between sustainable development and democracy as a form of government and society. In unit 4, the connections and contradictions arising from this are firstly discussed. The concept of Global Governance as a political order beyond the nation state is then discussed and the question of how this could contribute to sustainable development is explored. Subsequently, possibilities and forms of civil society participation on the topic of sustainability are presented and discussed both within and outside of an institutional framework. Finally, the role of (political) education in this context is considered by taking a practical look at the content and objectives of Global Citizenship Education.

Course Goals

The in-depth course “DeMOOC: Sustainability and Democracy - Connections, Potentials and Obstacles” is designed to enable interested parties to get to grips with sustainability issues without any specific prior knowledge. Course participants are given a basic factual understanding of the concepts and terms of the sustainability discourse. The information materials, work tasks, radio reports and videos provide a targeted introduction to the topic area and at the same time provide the necessary points of reference to place the basic knowledge acquired in a broader social context. In addition, interviews conducted specifically for the course offer insights into various practical perspectives on the opportunities and challenges of implementing sustainability goals. In addition, the participants of the MOOC receive impulses and documents for addressing this complex of topics in their own educational work. Didactic principles for adult education are offered for this purpose.

Previous Knowledge

No previous knowledge is necessary.

Course Procedure

Certificate

For active participation in the course, upon completion, an automated certificate will be issued, which will include your username, the course name and the completed units. It should be noted that this is only a confirmation that the user has correctly answered at least 75% of the self-assessment questions (multiple choice quiz) asked.

Licence

Unless otherwise indicated, the content provided in the course is made available under the following license: CC BY 4.0 Demokratiezentrum Wien. The content may be used for educational and other non-commercial purposes on the condition that the following name is cited as the source: Demokratiezentrum Wien. External linked materials, videos etc. may be excluded from the Creative Commons license. Please note the applicable regulations.