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Alternative Economies and Sustainable Business - ENV00112M

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  • Department: Environment and Geography
  • Module co-ordinator: Dr. Simon Mair
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: M
  • Academic year of delivery: 2024-25

Module summary

‘System change not climate change!’ is a common refrain in climate justice and activist movements. In this module we explore some of the alternative systems that have been proposed, with a particular focus on their economic principles and what these mean for business, society, and the environment.

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 2 2024-25

Module aims

Tackling ecological crises while also delivering on social justice requires transformation of the economy. But exactly how the economy should be transformed, and what it should be transformed to are open questions. In this module students will be introduced to a range of ‘alternative economics’ frameworks (such as Buen Vivir, Degrowth, Doughnut Economics, and Ecological Civilisation). We will explore the different economic principles in each framework, and evaluate the impacts of these principles for business practices in relation to wider society and environmental impacts.

Students will engage with alternative economic frameworks through lectures, discussion and interactive exercises. Guest speakers and a field trip will be used to provide insights from practitioners.

Module learning outcomes

At the end of the module students will be able to:

  • explain the principles underlying of a range of alternative economics frameworks

  • demonstrate an understanding of the opportunities and challenges of implementing alternative economic frameworks in practice

  • critically evaluate an alternative economic framework in terms of its environmental and social impacts, and implications for business practices.

  • communicate to a professional but non-specialist audience how an alternative economic framework impacts on business practices

Module content

The module takes a critical pedagogy approach, and is heavily focussed on dialogic and real-world based teaching methods. Workshops will be 2 hours long and take place every week (with the exception of the week with the fieldtrip). Each workshop will use interactive exercises and discussion to introduce students to a different ‘alternative’ economics framework and to relate this to business. Lectures will be delivered by guest speakers drawn from business and civil society practitioners engaged in alternative economics practices. The fieldtrip will be a 1 day visit to an organisation attempting to implement alternative economy principles.

Assessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Article for a professional but non-specialist audience		 N/A 100

Special assessment rules

None

Reassessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Article for a professional but non-specialist audience		 N/A 100

Module feedback

Formative feedback will be delivered orally or in written form. Feedback on summative assessments will follow DEG guidelines with scripts being annotated and a feedback form provided.

Indicative reading

Cameron, J. and Gibson-Graham, J.K., 2022. The diverse economies approach. In Handbook of Alternative Theories of Political Economy (pp. 329-342). Edward Elgar Publishing.

Clift, R., Martin, G. and Mair, S., 2022. Sustainability and the circular economy. In Assessing Progress Towards Sustainability (pp. 35-56). Elsevier.

Jackson, T., 2016. Prosperity without growth: Foundations for the economy of tomorrow. Routledge.

Jimenez, A., Delgado, D., Merino, R. and Argumedo, A., 2022. A decolonial approach to innovation? building paths towards Buen Vivir. The Journal of Development Studies, 58(9), pp.1633-1650.

Raworth, K., 2017. Doughnut economics: seven ways to think like a 21st-century economist. Chelsea Green Publishing.


Zhou, X., 2021. Ecological civilization in China: Challenges and strategies. Capitalism Nature Socialism, 32(3), pp.84-99.


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University is constantly exploring ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by the University. Where appropriate, the University will notify and consult with affected students in advance about any changes that are required in line with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.