New course on the existential dimension of green transition
Lund University has a graduate school with a focus on societal challenges, sustainability issues and the Agenda 2030 framework. The vision is, among other things, to train world-leading scientists who can tackle the many challenges that exist in the UN's Global Goals for Sustainable Development. The graduate school is for doctoral students from all parts of the university, but with the common thing that they are researching something related to the Agenda 2030 framework. In the graduate school, various courses are offered where the faculties take turns in charge, and one of the autumn courses is Existential sustainability: Expanding the Discourse on Sustainability where Centre for Theology and Religious Studies and Department of Architecture and Built Environment at LTH Collaborate to create the content. Here, the existential and religious perspectives on sustainability will be studied in relation to perspectives on the built environment, as a way to broaden the conceptual framework Agenda 2030. Existential sustainability is a concept that Lund University has worked on, among other things, for an application to the EIT KIC in creative and cultural industries, and the course has its origins in a research initiation project on existential sustainability.
What do PhD students learn on the course?
- They get a view of what existential sustainability could be, says Lovisa Nyman, one of the teachers from the Centre for Theology and Religious Studies. We have chosen a perspective where it is about the human need to create and experience meaning. The course deals a lot with man as a narrative being, partly about man as an individual, who tells in order to understand his life and create meaning in relation to other people, to society and history and in a broader sense about how cultures tell us to understand history, the present and the future. The story becomes a way for us to help us orient ourselves for the future — both where we are headed and where we want to be headed. That's the overarching theme.
The course starts with an introductory day with an excursion to Råangen and is followed up with three workshops during the semester with about a month between. At each workshop, the focus is on the doctoral students being able to discuss with each other based on texts they have read and put them in relation to their work. The course ends with a student conference with group presentations and individually written papers.
The course has three sub-themes dealing with time, place and identity. Therefore, practical applications are made by starting from Råangen i Brunnshög, which is an urban development project carried out on the land of Lund Cathedral. At the same time, this is also a platform for discussions about how the land is used and how the Church has chosen to develop it with an existential perspective.
- In the course, we explore how we can think about the importance of place and time for the creation of human meaning. How do we build environments around us? What does it have to do with our understanding of ourselves, our present and of what meaning is?
Why should you take the course?
- If you have a thesis area that somehow borders on existential questions, the course gives you a chance to develop those thoughts in relation to the thesis. Here, doctoral students have the opportunity to expand by being able to delve into existential issues, which you often may not do, but there is an existential perspective on most things, continues Lovisa Nyman.
How can existential perspectives become part of sustainability work?
- Sustainability work is usually based on social, economic and environmental sustainability. I think one can see existential durability as part of all three legs or as a bridge between them. They cannot conceive of, for example, a social or economic sustainability that is not also existentially sustainable for humans.
Why do we need this cunt now?
“We have struggled for a long time with the green transition, we have talked about different systems and changes, we have often focused on technology and how we can change our lives in this way. But there is also an existential dimension to the green transition and to the climate issue. Many are experiencing great anxiety about climate change and existential perspectives are beginning to float to the surface. There are many who feel that we are not living existentially sustainably and that we need to address these issues. I also notice that many scientists find it interesting with existential sustainability and can see connection with their work.
The teachers on the course are Johanna Gustavsson Lundberg, Ethics, Ida Sandström, Architecture and Built Environment and Lovisa Nyman, Theology and Coordination.
For information and registration: Contact Lovisa Nyman lovisa.nyman@ctr.lu.se.
See also Agenda 2030 PhD courses
Closing date for entries: September 8