Just Transitions in the Coastal Zone

About the course

This course introduces students to the burgeoning and often conflicting Blue Economy discourse and challenges students to critically analyze community development efforts that are sold as Blue Economy initiatives. Students will engage with a variety of concepts such as the Geography of Transitions, Just Sustainability Transitions, and Critical Pragmatism in order to help them develop their own framework for critical analysis. The course will include a field component consisting of two parts: (1) a field-based exploration of Blue Economy initiatives in Reykjavik, and (2) attendance at the Arctic Circle Assembly in order to understand the transdisciplinary context of the Blue Economy in the Arctic. In this course, different approaches to achieve the sustainable use and conservation of ocean resources for improved wellbeing, social equity, and healthy aquatic ecosystems will be discussed. The course focuses on the blue economy paradigm, which connects environmental, social, and economic sustainability by promoting the improvement of human wellbeing and social equity. The Blue Economy has gained attention among government organizations, development agencies, politicians, academics, entrepreneurs, and businesses as being a new integrated approach to community and regional development. This course shifts the attention from traditional economic analysis to alternative economic models and measures.

Participation in the conference Arctic Circle in Reykjavík is an integrative part of this course. Registration, accommodation, and transport to/from Reykjavík is the participants' own responsibility and expense.