Admission requirements
Intended for all Bachelor students registered for the minor Responsible Innovation.
Description
In the face of many societal and ecological challenges of today we look for solutions that bring us beyond sustaining the status quo and towards a more fair and just future for as many parties as possible. How to get there? And is there only one such future? How to reimagine futures beyond dystopias and utopias, beyond despair and naïve optimism.
In this course, we will use the perspectives of the humanities, science and technologies studies, as well as cultural practices to critically address the techno-solutionist approach and explore principles and conditions for regenerative futures. For instance, pervasive digital tracking and automation technologies in application to green urban infrastructure or systems of food production and agricultural land usage often lead to the kind of “internet of nature” (Galle et al., 2019) that re-establishes technocratic, neo-colonial and inflexible exchanges perpetuating social and political disbalance. What narratives could, then, complement and counter-act the “digital-natural programs of exchange” (Gabrys, 2022) guided by neoliberal principles of optimization and exacerbating extractive economies and social inequalities? We will consider strategies to reframe the social and political structures to avoid the hypocrisies of “green branding” and techno-fix types of solutions. An emphasis will be made on the potential for social innovation, place-specific initiatives and collective action to revitalize derelict spaces and empower communities.
Once promising beliefs of modernity, such as linear deterministic progress, capitalist growth, centrality of the human and even scientific objectivity, increasingly disprove themselves at the face of multiple political crises and the climate change agenda. At this point we need to move further than neutralizing human impact on the environment and aim at restoring the land’s and social systems’ self-reinforcing and resilience capacities. This transition from sustainability (shrinking humanity’s negative footprint) towards regeneration (creating positive handprints) implies a fundamental cultural and ideological paradigm shift. Creative thinkers, artists and designers offer a plethora of perspectives to stimulate new visions and concrete ideas for biophilic and equitable innovation. Ranging from critique and speculative scenarios to constructive solutions, they can serve as inspiration to overcome the current impasses in our collective imaginary and enliven the potential for life-affirming futures.
Course objectives
At the end of this course students should be able to
describe the key methodological principles of science and technology studies;
apply the concepts and insights of posthumanism, anthropocene studies and environmental humanities in an analysis of social and technological innovation;
identify the key principles of regenerative economy and forms of its implementation;
reflect upon the role of industry and entrepreneurship in addressing ethical issues concerning the usage of natural resources;
critically evaluate individual innovative technological solutions, activist initiatives and creative practices in the fields of sustainability and regeneration;
develop critical reading, group research, debating and presentation skills.*
The final course outline may differ.
Timetable
The timetables are available through My Timetable.
Mode of instruction
Lecture
Seminar
Research
Assessment method
Assessment
Portfolio of smaller assignments
Individually written paper (1500-2000 words)
Weighing
Portfolio of smaller assignments – 50%
Individually written paper (1500-2000 words) – 50%
The final mark for the course is established by determining the weighted average. To pass the course, the weighted average of the partial grades must be 5.5 or higher.
Resit
If the end grade is insufficient, it is possible to take a resit examination for the paper assignment. The faculty rules relating to participation in resit examinations can be found in article 4.1 of the faculty Course and Examination Regulations (OER).
Inspection and feedback
How and when an exam review will take place will be disclosed together with the publication of the exam results at the latest. If a student requests a review within 30 days after publication of the exam results, an exam review will have to be organized.
Reading list
Reading material is provided or indicated via Brightspace.
Registration
Enrolment through MyStudyMap is mandatory (only applies for Leiden students).
General information about course and exam enrolment is available on the website.
Contact
For substantive questions, contact the lecturer listed in the right information bar.
For questions about enrolment, admission, etc, contact the Education Administration Office: Arsenaal.
Remarks
Not applicable.