General provisions

The course is given in Master's Programme in Sustainable Management.

Entry requirements

A Bachelor's degree, equivalent to a Swedish Kandidatexamen, from an internationally recognised university. Proficiency in English.

Learning outcomes

The key objective of this course is to question the current way of doing business and its underlying logic. Theories and academic research on ecofeminism, post-humanism, relational leadership and responsible behaviour will be discussed and analysed to provide a basis for understanding.

Having completed the course, students are expected to be able to:

• demonstrate knowledge and understanding of the basic principles of ecofeminism, post-humanism and relational leadership, and how they challenge the current capitalistic logic/system,
• critically identify and analyse different aspects of contemporary sustainability challenges for different types of organisations and specific conditions and implications for relational leadership and responsible behaviour,
• understand, communicate, discuss and reflect upon concepts and theories related to individual and societal change and development, through relational leadership and responsible behaviour in organisations and our everyday life,
• use acquired skills and insights when critically examining cases of how different organisations may act in a variety of cultural, environmental and socioeconomic settings based on a wide range of conditions, values and perspectives.

Content

This course will take a critical perspective on the current way of doing business, and by extension the capitalistic system and its underlying logic, by discussing and applying alternative ideologies and perspectives, such as post-humanism and ecofeminism, as well as reconnecting to one's own embodied experiences. By engaging with topics such as dualism, care, relationality and plurality, the aim is to gain new insights into our being and becoming in and with the world around us, including human-non-human animal relationships. These perspectives in turn challenge the current role and aim of business, but also provides insights on a more individual (behavioural) level.

Instruction

Teaching in the course consists of (guest) lectures, seminars, workshops and field trips. The main format for instruction is the seminar, where students are expected to actively engage in co-creating knowledge and understanding, through critical reflection and discussion with the course material as well as each other. The students work in teams and individually and are expected to be active during and between seminars. The course will include both written and oral presentations/assignments.  

The course is taught in English.

Assessment

The student will get one single grade, equivalent to 7.5 credits.

The examination takes place continuously through assignments and seminars carried out in groups and individually. The grade for the entire course is based on an assessment of all parts of the examination. Grading criteria are presented in the study guide that applies to the course section. The following grades will be used, pass with distinction (VG), pass (G) and fail (U).

Examinations handed in late will not be assessed except under special circumstances. Any remaining supplemental work must be handed in by the deadline specified in the study guide. Otherwise, the entire course (all examinations included) must be retaken during subsequent course sections

If there are special reasons for doing so, an examiner may make an exception from the method of assessment indicated and allow a student to be assessed by another method. An example of special reasons might be a certificate regarding special pedagogical support from the University's disability coordinator.

Uppsala University does not accept cheating or plagiarism. Suspected incidents of cheating or plagiarism are reported to the Vice-Chancellor, which may issue a formal warning to the student or suspend the student from studies for a certain period.

NOTE: Only completed courses can count toward a degree.

Other directives

The course substitutes/overlaps Small Business and Regional Development 2FE993 and International Business and Regional Development 2FE989.