Societal Change

Socio-technical changes within planetary boundaries

The transformation of societies and their related systems, such as infrastructures, technologies and communications channels, is of increasing importance. The big question is whether and how these processes of change can be influenced or controlled. This seminar explains the basics and framework, using models such as the planetary boundaries, in order to recognize what skills are necessary for a reorientation of human action and its effect on the Earth system. With Environmental and Transformative Literacy (Schneidewind), concepts are presented that describe a skill to adequately understand transformation processes in their multidimensionality and incorporate one's own actions within transformation processes.

Together, we investigate with the students whether their projects are aimed at cultural, institutional, technological or economic change processes, and how they influence these different sectors. We also provide insight into the four levels of self-interpretation model (Rosa) to better understand how interior and exterior relate to each other, e.g. if all want change, but nobody wants to change.

nextlearning has developed this format in cooperation with Dr. Steffi Ober (Federation of German Scientists) for the Master of Public Policy at the European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder) and implemented the course several times.

Societal Change
Partners: Master of Public Policy, European University Viadrina Frankfurt (Oder)
Location: Humboldt-Viadrina School of Governance, Berlin
Format: Workshop, Course
Period: Since 2013
Program: https://www.kuwi.europa-uni.de/de/studium/master/mpp-de

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