OADD 2225 - Sustainable Development Tradeoffs in the Age of Climate Change

‘Sustainable development’ evokes a multiplicity of meanings: development with fairness, green growth, social empowerment, environmental justice, and inter-generational equity to name a few. Therein lie its promise as well as limitation. Advancement of the ‘social,’ ‘economic’ and ‘environmental’ values involve contestation and negotiation. At the same time, sustainable development as a term is politically convenient, concealing the tradeoffs that are made within societies and between countries.

Climate change and accelerating social inequalities are making development pathways even more complex, with technological and political uncertainties. Sound policy-making and effective execution in every country requires long-term planning that integrates strategies vis-à-vis many development challenges, including institutional, financial, social, climatic and environmental. Further, governance in a globalizing world with contradictory local demands for participation and or exclusion to address the simultaneous challenges of ending poverty, enhancing quality of life, and sustaining local and planetary-scale life systems pose enormous challenges.

This is an overview course. With a heightened focus on climate change, it examines the intertwined nature of the economic, social and environmental strands of thoughts and ideas that together loosely constitute the constellation of ‘sustainable development’ concept. We examine weaves of thought across social, economic, political, ecological and environmental spheres, to get a better sense of the emergent promise and challenges. The latter part of the course involves the contrasting approaches within sustainable development in dealing with the indigenous and with urban engines of growth.

Method of instruction: The course involves lectures, discussions, group work and written assignments. Reading materials that are not freely available on the web will be available on the course Moodle.

Learning Outcomes:

Upon successful completion of the course:

• Students will be familiar with current and emerging issues important for sustainable development policy
• Students will be equipped to apply critical perspectives on policy discourse
• Students would be cognizant of effective communicative writing

Professional Skills:

• Literature survey and review technique
• Accessing data libraries pertinent to sustainable development
• Communicating ideas in a persuasive manner

Pedagogical and feedback format:

Feedback provided to students on their Policy Brief assignments, by end of Week 8

Assessment:

• SD Note (15% of final grade). The note would answer a specific question that’s posed to you. About 500 words in length, the note written individually, would draw on material covered and discussions in class, and relevant external resources identified by the student. Due by Saturday, 21 Feb, 2026 @2000 Paris Time. To be emailed to Prof. Someshwar.
• Final Assignment (50% of final grade) – The paper, written by students in groups of two, would be around 2500 words. It would discuss key challenges, opportunities and way forward to advance sustainable development. Due by Tuesday, 21 April, 2026 @2000 Paris Time. To be emailed to Prof. Someshwar.
• Class Participation (35% of final grade) – Active participation in all sessions, including in group work, demonstrating curiosity and emergent understanding of the subject matter.

Course workload:

• Attendance: 2 hours a week

-Reading and Preparation for Class: 5 hours a week

-Research and Preparation for Group Work: 20 hours a semester

-Research and Writing for Individual Assessments: 48 hours a semester