Sociology and Criminology

Capitalism, Growth, and Ecological Crisis

Module code: L4117B
Level 6
15 credits in spring semester
Teaching method: Workshop
Assessment modes: Essay

There is a contradiction between the insatiable demands of a capitalist economy and the finite limits of ecological systems.

On this module, you’ll explore these contradictions and the ways they’re tied to questions of cultural value, social justice and political practice. Topics include:

• economic growth, seen as a big part of a healthy economy and society
• the roots of attitudes about economic growth
• if economic growth is sustainable in a rapidly worsening ecological crises
• possible alternatives to the growth paradigm and the political economy it supports
• different types of ‘green growth’ such as the popular but controversial ‘degrowth’
• different approaches to the relationship between society, nature and eco-politics
• Marxist, feminist, decolonial and social movement literatures
• the relationship between theory and practice
• how the causes of ecological crisis impact political values, and vice versa
• what this means for us in our own daily lives, existential commitments and future projects.

Module learning outcomes

• Critically understand how the historical development of modern capitalism is linked to ecological crises
• Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of how ecological modes of thought challenge orthodox attitudes to economic growth
• Assimilate and evaluate empirical material from recent academic research which is of relevance to the theoretical and political frameworks covered on the module
• Critically compare different theoretical and practical approaches to eco-politics