Navigating conflict: Diverging stakehold

This course will explore ways in which the shifting relationship between the human economy and our physical environment drive divergent, often conflicting, responses from different segments of society, including distinct economic classes, communities, nations, industries, etc. For the sustainability professional, such conflicts are important in the development of equitable solutions. They are also critical pragmatic issues in implementation of any new policies. The relative strength of different stakeholders, and the tactics they deploy to pursue their goals can determine what actually happens “on the ground”. We will take a case study approach, looking at how specific socio-economic impacts of environmental change generate calls for social change, shift alignments, deepen stakeholder entrenchment, and influence sustainability policy. Our cases include impacts of global warming, land-use changes, and expanded material throughputs as a result of growing demand in agriculture, fishing, forestry, mining and manufacturing.