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Sustainability in the visual arts and crafts CC2054
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Week 1: 7 september 2020Course objectives:
1. Recognize and explain central concepts and debates in contemporary
theoretical and policy approaches to sustainability
2. Analyse key sustainability trends in the production, consumption and
communication practices, notably in the field of the visual arts and crafts
3. Critically assess sustainability concepts and apply them to
Seminar 1: Introduction and key concepts in sustainability - timeline and role or
arts and crafts
Learning objectives:
- Define and apply the concept of sustainability
- Distinguish between the different UN Sustainable Development Goals
- Translate the SDGs into daily actions
- Relate the concept of sustainability to the field of arts and culture
Looking at the three - or four- pillars of sustainability. Sustainability is a wicked problem!
The 17 UN SDGs: how can we integrate them in our lives?
- Interconnected goals set by the UN to achieve a sustainable future.
How do we move forward? The environment, the society and the economy are three
integrated areas we need to address to find a way forward. Depletion of the earth’s
resources, the way we deal with energy, rising inequality. Three conditions. Accounting
for the current and future generations, being mindful of these three pillars.
Sustainable development. Sustainable Development Goals: “development that meets the
needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their
own needs.” (1987, Brundtland report) we have to act in the present for the future
generations. One of the most cited definitions of sustainable development. SD has
developed as a term, the most recent are the SDGs.
A short history of sustainability
18th and 19th century there were already books written on sustainability and about the
impacts of humans on nature. And in the 20th century people have been talking about
climate change being important.
1962: silent spring
1972: UN Conference on the Human Environment (Sweden)
1987: WCED report “our common future” (Brundtland report)
2000s: shift from mere problem recognition to problem and progress measurements.
The 21st century:
2001: Jon Hawkes’ seminal book: “the fourth pillar of sustainability”
2002: “cradle to cradle”
2012: UN conference on sustainable development
2015: UN sustainable development summit → SDGs
- Paris agreement in climate change
2017: Kate Raworth’s book: doughnut economics
2019: European Green Deal
What progress have we made?
, - More research and awareness
- More initiatives and organizations
- Interrelationships, also on global scale
- Growing awareness of the rights, intrinsic value of nature, codified in law.
- Three dimensions (social, economic, environmental) as interdependent
- Adding areas of accountability to sustainability objectives
But there are many challenges. It is a systems problem; complex and interconnected.
Stephen 2014: “wicked problems”. The whole planet is affected. It is difficult to know if
brands are really sustainable or if it’s just a marketing trick. Long term goals vs short term
priorities. There are tensions and trade offs between the three pillars.
Mandatory readings:
1. Carson, R. (2017). Excerpts from Silent Spring. In Schlottmann C., Jamieson D.,
Jerolmack C., Rademacher A., & Damon M. (Eds.), Environment and Society: A
Reader (pp. 80-86). New York: NYU Press. Retrieved August 23, 2020.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt1ht4vw6.16 silent spring is from 1962.
2. Mensah, J., & Ricart Casadevall, S. (2019). Sustainable development: meaning,
history, principles, pillars, and implications for human action: literature review.
Cogent SocialSciences, 5(1), 5-13 only.
https://doi.org/10.1080/23311886.2019.1653531
Skeptics and oppositional stakeholder groups vs developing caring skills and attitude.
The economics, social and environmental substrates of sustainability relate to one
another and can advance sustainable development.
According to Diesendorf (2000) sustainability is the goal or endpoint of a process called sustainable
development. Sustainable development is the method to reach sustainability. It is a social process in which
ecological, social and economic facets are treated and analyzed as three interdependent yet mutually
reinforcing dimensions of development.
Pillars of sustainable development (development that can be continued):
- Economic sustainability
- Social sustainability
- Environmental sustainability
The three pillars are a set of interrelated concepts which should form the basis of human
decisions and actions in the quest for sustainable development.
3. Mulligan, M. (2018). An Introduction to Sustainability: Environmental, Social and
Personal Perspectives. (Chapter 6: Sustainability models and concepts, pp.91-93).
London: Routledge
Jon Hawkes (2001) wrote a book “the fourth pillar of sustainability”. Culture includes
values, way of life, customs, traditions, meanings and purposes that guide action. Culture
(aspirations and values of communities) needs to have a role in the model, because it is
unclear how culture relates to the society pillar. It should be given a space in SD. We
should understand development as a cultural phenomenon as well. In the 17 SDGs
culture is not a separate goal, but it appears in certain goals. It is mentioned in gender
equality or sustainable cities and communities. ‘Cultural vitality’ should be accounted for
, in sustainable development plans, defines as ‘well being, creativity, diversity and
innovation’.
The Circles of Sustainability model. The four domains of sustainability are:
- Ecological
- Economic
- Cultural
- political
Ecological footprint: the demand placed on nature for resources consumed and wastes
absorbs, expressed as land area.
4. Robertson, M. (2017). Sustainability principles and practice. London: Routledge.
Pp. 3-25
It’s not about whether we will change, but how. What is sustainability? It means enduring
into the long-term future. All problems are connected, we can’t solve only one problem.
The three dimensions of sustainable development are ecological sustainability, economic
opportunity and social inclusion. Complex adaptive systems: the many interconnected
systems which make up the larger Earth system.
A Brief History of Sustainability
Environmental history: the study of human relationships to the natural world through time.
The Malthusian cycle: population increases until it reaches the capacity of its resources
and famine or war decrease the population again.
How do arts and crafts relate to sustainability?
14-9 Week 2: Key concepts in sustainability - Approaches and perspectives for
sustainable development
Class objectives:
- Define and critically assess concept of circularity, including Circular
Economy, Cradle to Cradle and Doughnut Economics
- Understand the basics of systems thinking
Sustainability: a process should be maintained without interruptions and continue on its
own without too many external interventions. There are many things breaking down
(floodings, fires), the way we are carrying on isn’t sustainable, there is failure and
breakdown. How do we move forward in a sustainable way?
The Circular Economy - Stahel (one of the key people who formulated the concept of
circular economy) ; in the beginning focused on making things less bad, instead of making
them better. Rather lessen impact, instead of having no impact at all. Now there’s more
attention to the environment and society, instead of on the economic part only. Circular
economy: closed loop economic system, elimination all resource inputs, waste and
emission leakages of the system. (in the past: driven by scarcity, society could sustain)
1. The circular economy, roots and context
1.1 History
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