6 EC
Semester 2, period 4
52641SIT6Y
Over the past few decades, there has been a growing concern about the social and environmental risks which have come along with the progress achieved through a variety of mutually intertwined modernization processes. In recent years these concerns are transformed into a widely-shared sense of urgency, partly due to events such as the various pandemics threatening livestock, increasing awareness of the risks and realities of climate change, and the energy and food crises. This sense of urgency includes an awareness that our entire social system is in need of fundamental transformation. But like the earlier transition between the 1750's and 1890's from a pre-modern to a modern industrial society, this second transition is also a contested one. Opinions about the desirable pathways towards sustainability vary widely. In this course we address the issue on how to understand the dynamics and governance of the second transition dynamics in order to ensure sustainable development and long-term transformative change.
Point of departure is a recently concluded six-year research programme by the Knowledge network for System Innovations (KSI; directed by UvA in corporation with the Erasmus University Rotterdam and the Technical University Eindhoven). In this research programme efforts have been made to put transition thinking into practice in various domains. In this course you will be introduced to the concepts and insights gained in this research programme. During working groups you will apply these concepts and insights to a self-chosen case, so as to learn more about transformative change and system innovation in real life.
Themes:
Also, additional literature will be used, which can be found in either one of the university libraries or downloaded via the Web of Knowledge or Google Scholar. Other materials like background material, sheets of the lectures et cetera, will be placed on Canvas.
In this core course, the three perspectives / approaches (see content and objectives) are explained in the lectures by Professor Grin. The theories are further elaborated upon in subsequent work groups, supervised by a tutor.
|
Activity |
Amount |
Duration |
Hours |
|
|
Attending lectures |
6 |
2 hours |
12 |
|
|
Working groups |
6 |
2 hours |
12 |
|
|
Preparation of lectures and working groups by reading compulsory (and additional) literature, case selection, writing and presenting outline |
±500 pp |
|
100 |
|
|
Writing essay |
|
|
44 |
|
|
Total |
|
|
168 |
|
Additional requirements for this course:
Participation in the meetings is obligatory. The meetings provide you with the opportunity to pose questions about the literature and practice with the theoretical perspectives that were elaborated upon. Students come well prepared to the meetings, i.e. they have read the indicated compulsory literature beforehand, and participate actively.
Attendance of working group 2 and 6, February 11 and March 11 is obligatory, since the activities during this working group are essential to be able to finalize this course successfully. If you have missed more than one (other) work group, you will automatically be excluded from the course.
| Item and weight | Details |
|
Final grade |
Re-sit
You can only participate in a re-sit when you have complied to all three deadlines, as well as having met the other required elements of the course (i.e. have met the presence requirements).
When you have registered for the course System Innovation & Transition Management, you are automatically registered for the examination elements of the course.
The Exam of this course consists of a written essay that tests the theoretical knowledge about the three approaches / perspectives that have been taught based, on a self-chosen case that represents a real life effort to stimulate transition.
Before Wed, Feb 10, 20.00 , students select a case study. Make a brief case description and argumentation for the selection and hand it in at the end of the second tutorial. During the third working group, the case study selection will be discussed.
Before Fri, Feb 27, 23.59 (see schedule below), students post a disciplinary analysis (max 2 pages) on the selected case study. Theories and insights, deriving from their disciplinary background (such as politics, geography, technology, economy or else), are used to present a perspective on the chosen case study. The quality of the analysis will be graded. This grade makes up for 20% of your final grade for this course. The outcomes of these analyses will be shared and presented within the groups.
Before March 11, 23:59 (see schedule below), students post a written outline of their envisioned essay on Blackboard. During the sixth working group, students present their envisioned outline essay in about five to ten minutes. Students give each other constructive feedback on their outline. Based on these feedback students can change their plan and deliver it in the evening. Furthermore, they will also be provided feedback by the tutor of the course via e-mail, following this working group. The quality of the outline will be graded. This grade makes up for 20% of your final grade for this course.
In their essay, the students have to address several questions that pertain to issues such as:
After meeting 6, students start writing their actual essay, based on their outline. During meeting 7 they’ll have the opportunity to ask final questions concerning their essay. The grade for the essay in itself has to meet the mark, i.e. higher than 5.5. This grade will make up for 60% of the finale grading for the course.
The final essay must be upload via Blackboard before March, 27, 23:59 If you do not upload your essay in time via Blackboard, your essay will not be graded and you are not allowed to participate in the resit.
Students post a disciplinary analysis (individually, max. 2 pages) on a selected case study. Theories and insights, derived from their disciplinary background (such as politics, geography, technology, economy or else), are used to present a perspective on the chosen case study. The quality of the analysis will be graded. This grade makes up for 20% of your final grade for this course. The outcomes of these analyses will be shared and presented within the working groups.
Students post a written outline of their envisioned essay on Canvas. During the sixth working group, students present their envisioned outline essay in about five to ten minutes. Students give each other constructive feedback on their outline. Based on these feedback students can change their plan and deliver it in the evening. Furthermore, they will also be provided feedback by the tutor of the course via e-mail, following this working group. The quality of the outline will be graded. This grade makes up for 20% of your final grade for this course.
In their essay, the students have to address several questions that pertain to issues such as:
- What approach would you think is adequate to work on this envisaged improvement: e.g. Strategic Niche Management or the Transition Management approach? Explain why you think this is the most suitable approach (compared to the other option).
- What challenges and problems do you anticipate in this particular case? (Addressing issues like actors and systems/structures, niche/regime/landscape).
- What strategies and solutions can you think of to tackle these problems / challenges?
- What governance aspects are related to this particular case?
- A question in which you are asked to relate the case to some of the articles discussed during the lectures.
After meeting 6, students start writing their actual essay, based on their outline. During meeting 7 they’ll have the opportunity to ask final questions concerning their essay. The grade for the essay in itself has to meet the mark, i.e. higher than 5.5. This grade will make up for 60% of the finale grading for the course.
The final essay must be uploaded via Canvas before March 29, 23.59. If you do not upload your essay in time via Canvas, your essay will not be graded and you are not allowed to participate in the resit.
The 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' applies to this course. This will be monitored carefully. Upon suspicion of fraud or plagiarism the Examinations Board of the programme will be informed. For the 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' see: www.student.uva.nl
Schedule of the course
Please see course manual as published in the digital learning environment under Module General Information.
As said, though not a compulsory entry requirement, some prior knowledge to social science is highly recommendable. For students who in their bachelor phase have become acquainted with social science, there will be no problem. For students with an exclusive beta bachelor, there are some deficiency modules available (in principle in the form of self tuition) to help bridge the gap between that beta background and this course on System Innovation & Transition Management.
Some prior knowledge to social science is highly recommendable; it is not a compulsory entry requirement though.
This course is part of the track Environmental Management. It also forms a core course of the Minor Science for Sustanaibility, a 30 EC master's programme particularly meant for students with a beta bachelor (or interdisciplinary bachelor with beta major). But this course is also open, as an elective, to interested students with a bachelor in the social sciences - as long as the number of 'regular' participants allows us to welcome other applicants.