Interested in studying abroad in Europe? UAP is hosting a study abroad trip for Summer 2012 in Europe. The 2012 Sustainable Europe course is designed around a sequence of three interrelated modules.
Part 1: History and Theory of Contemporary Sustainable Development: How is Switzerland Translating Theory into Practice? (Instructor: Dr. Ralph Hall, VT)
Since the late 1980s, the idea of sustainable development has received growing attention from government agencies, businesses, non-government organizations, and civic groups. As a result, it can now be found behind many public policy initiatives and business activities in virtually all sectors of the economy. Yet, people using the idea often lack a firm grasp of the origins of the concept. This first module will lay the foundation for a common understanding of sustainable development. We will explore the emergence of sustainable development and will review and discuss several critical ideas frequently used when describing the concept. Further, given the importance placed on innovation as an engine of “green” growth/development, we will review the idea of innovation and the role of businesses and government in promoting innovation for sustainability. Each student will then apply their knowledge of sustainability to critically evaluate the Swiss government’s approach to sustainable development.
Part 2: Sustainable and Equitable Neighborhood Development: How are European Housing and Community Development Policies related to the Creation of Socially Integrated, Mixed-Income Communities? (Instructor: Dr. Derek Hyra, VT)
The second module of the course focuses on the social equity component of sustainability by interrogating notions of ethnic/racial diversity, social exclusion, and neighborhood regeneration within metropolitan areas in Europe and the United States. The module explores cross-nationally the redevelopment of neighborhoods that suffer from physical and social deprivation. We will investigate the relationships among race/ethnicity, social housing initiatives, and economic development policies, and explore how these relationships in different contexts contribute to and shape the redevelopment of socially-excluded communities. We will not only assess the ways in which a range of nation-state policies contribute to circumstances in socially-excluded neighborhoods but we will also explore different nation-state policies that have attempted to alleviate ill conditions through facilitating the creation of socially integrated, mixed-income communities. Students will develop a deeper understanding of how various states and cultural contexts reproduce, and yet attempt to address, place-based social inequality.
Part 3: Globalization, Immigration, and Post-Conflict Rebuilding: How are European Institutional Frameworks used for Collaborative Public Engagement and Planning? (Instructor: Dr. Frank Dukes, UVA)
In the final module, we will examine how European communities are seeking sustainable solutions through conflict resolution and collaborative planning processes. As immigration grows and economies suffer, pressures on historic and natural resources mount. These issues offer particular challenges because of their impacts on multiple communities and levels of government, and on so many inter-related issues – health, community development, housing, transportation, water, and beyond – and because the consequences of these issues are so profound to individual and community life. The President’s Commission on Sustainable Development found that such conflicts “increasingly are exceeding the capacity of institutions, processes, and mechanisms to resolve them. Adversarial administrative, legal, and political processes … typically stress points of conflict, dividing communities and neighbors. What is usually missing from the process is a mechanism to enable the many stakeholders to work together to identify common goals, values, and areas of interest through vigorous and open public discussion.” Sustainable solutions, then, require overcoming the barriers of fragmented knowledge and governance – the disconnections within and among science and government. We will focus on case studies in three EU countries – Germany, Luxembourg, and Northern Ireland (UK) – that are confronting these challenges through collaborative planning and conflict resolution.
APPLICATIONS: VT students can apply to the course through the Education Abroad Office/OIRED. UVA students should contact Dr. Frank Dukes for further information on the UVA course admissions process.
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