Formation/Cours

This course introduces students to sustainable development as one of the central concepts shaping contemporary debates about the environment, global inequality, and economic development. It combines conceptual, ethical, and theoretical foundations with an examination of real-world politics, institutions, and policy challenges.

The course begins by examining the origins and meanings of sustainable development, with particular attention to its emergence in international debates and its definition in the Brundtland Report. Students are encouraged to understand sustainable development as a contested and normative concept rather than a purely technical solution. Building on this foundation, the course introduces key conceptual perspectives, competing models of sustainability, and debates over economic growth and ecological limits, while also exploring how development is measured through indicators such as GDP and the Human Development Index, and how these measurements shape political priorities.

The second part of the course focuses on politics and practice, examining global governance frameworks such as the role of the United Nations and the Sustainable Development Goals, climate change as a central development challenge, and the political trade-offs involved in national, local, and urban sustainability transitions. It also considers the roles of business, technology, and finance. The final session introduces critical and alternative perspectives, including post-development and decolonial critiques, encouraging students to reflect on whether sustainable development remains a useful framework for addressing global challenges.

Overall, the course aims to give students a conceptual understanding and a critical perspective on how sustainable development is defined, governed, and pursued in the contemporary world.