MSc in Human Ecology – Culture, Power and Sustainability

Programme overview

Drawing on fields such as anthropology, geography, sociology and economic history, the programme provides interdisciplinary perspectives and analytical tools for communicating about problems of sustainability. It represents an important complement to technological and natural science approaches towards sustainability by focusing on the cultural dimensions of consumption and resource use, cultural perceptions of environment and economy, and social science perspectives on the global distribution of environmental problems. A central aim is to help students develop skills in communicating across boundaries separating the discourses of different disciplines, cultural traditions, or the interests of business, politics and social movements. The programme encourages critical scrutiny of the debate about sustainability, but also a serious commitment to improving human-environmental relations worldwide. It covers the major social and environmental challenges of our time, including climate change and climate justice, unequal exchange and use of ecological resources, and the shifting of environmental risks and problems to the poorest parts of world society.

This programme is unique in combining perspectives on sustainability from the humanities, social sciences and natural sciences. It brings together lecturers and students from various backgrounds in truly interdisciplinary discussions about how culture, power and ecology interact in human-environmental relations. In the third semester, many students are offered internships with organisations in various parts of the world, giving them the opportunity to apply their insights to practical engagement with sustainability policies. In the past, students have, for example, enjoyed internships with organisations dedicated to improving sustainability in various parts of Latin America. The programme does not shy away from pressing controversial questions regarding global power structures and inequalities of distribution.