Organizations and Sustainability

This course reviews social science research on the role of organizations in environmental sustainability. Modern human activity is known to be dramatically changing the earth's ecosystem with far-reaching consequences: altering the climate, reducing biodiversity, challenging our ability to provide sufficient food and water, increasing mass migrations, harming our oceans, threatening human health, and potentially leading to increasing violence and chances of war. Our ability to limit and adapt to these changes will depend on the behavior of organizations: corporations, not for profits, governments, non-governmental organizations, political advocacy and social movement organizations. The course organizes the various literatures of 'organization theory' that pertain to sustainability, giving the students an intellectual structure on which to build their own understanding. The course is intended for PhD students planning to pursue a career as researchers in academia or industry.