In the 2nd half of the 20th century, the world economy experienced a short period of high economic growth in early industrialized countries, while nowadays some emerging economies follow the path. This has allowed the world economy to grow from an „empty world“ largely dominated by nature to a „full world“ in which we, the humans with our technologies, dominate the rest of the world, while nature starts to „strike back“.
Both tendencies led to a considerable increase in quality of life for many people at the expense to the ecosystems, which support human life on earth. Today we fear and hope for an end of this development and severe reductions of our possibilities to prosper. Industrialized economies today are poorly prepared for this transformation. This course will study the dynamics and structure of the global economy, labour and societies as well as the planetary boundaries. We will look at, learn about and develop opportunities and alternatives at individual, national and global levels to reconcile economic prosperity, quality of life and the resilience of ecosystems.

• Contribution to the discussion through continuous presentation of the work in progress!
• No absence without prior excuse!
• Presentation of the final results!

Students from other faculties or universities will be given a place on the course subject to room capacities.