The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
School of Social Work
Course Number:
Course Title:
Faculty:
SoWo 880-238
Sustainable Development
Gary Nelson, DSW
School of Social Work
Room 235
Tele: (919) 962-4370
Email: gmnelson@email.unc.edu
Semester:
Spring 2009—Tuesdays 2—4:50 p.m.
Tate Turner Kuralt Bldg. Room 114
Course Description
This course will examine issues and perspectives on sustainable development. In
examining sustainable development, it will do so through a three part framework that
combines local, national and global perspectives on the following goals: 1. economic
prosperity; 2. social equity; and 3. environmental protection.
Course Objectives
At the conclusion of the course, students will be able to do the following:
1. Demonstrate an understanding of the effect of their personal social and cultural
background (including personal and professional values) on their own thinking,
views and practice for sustainable development. This understanding will be
reflected in a plan for the student’s growth and work;
2. Articulate a working definition of sustainable development that incorporates
information from the past, as well as current thinking about the term, and provides
practical, ethically based direction for the student’s work in sustainable
development;
3. Demonstrate a working knowledge of sustainable development challenges in their
community, the United States and the world;
4. Demonstrate a working knowledge of the interface between sustainable
development and poverty from local and global perspective;
5. Demonstrate a working knowledge of the interface between sustainable
development, culture and gender; and
6. Demonstrate an ability to apply a learning framework to a sustainable
development initiative in a community of interest that appreciates the strengths of
current approaches, identifies continuing challenges to sustainability, and sets
forth a series of recommendations to overcome those challenges.
1
Required Texts and Readings
1. Esty, Daniel C. and Andrew S. Winston. (2006). Green to Gold. New Haven, Ct.,
Yale University Press.
2. Senge, Peter et. al. (2008). The Necessary Revolution: How Individuals and
Organizations Are Working Together to Create a Sustainable World. New York,
Doubleday.
3. Roseland, Mark (2005). Toward Sustainable Communities. Gabriola Island, BC:
New Society Publishers.
4. Additional readings will be identified and assigned throughout the semester in
conjunction with the course topics, lectures, and guests.
Recommended Readings
1. Ellerman, David. (2006). Helping People Help Themselves. Ann Arbor, MI: the
University of Michigan Press.
2. Flyvbjerg, Brent. (2001). Making Social Science Matter. New York: Cambridge
University Press.
3. Friedman, Thomas L. (2005). The World is Flat: A Brief History of the 21st
Century. New York: Farrar, Straus, and Giroux.
4. Gill, Indermit S. and Todd Pugatch (2005). At the Frontiers of Development.
Washington, DC: World Bank.
5. Goleman, Daniel. (2006). Social Intelligence: The New Science of Human
Relationships. New York: Bantam Books.
6. Hart, Maureen (1999). Guidelines to Sustainable Community Indicators. Second
Edition. N. Andover, MA: Hart Enviromental Dta.
7. Hawken, P., Lovins, A. and Lovins, L.H. (1999). Natural Capitalism: Creating
the Next Industrial Revolution. Boston: Little, Brown and Company.
8. Henderson, Hazel. (1996). Building a Win-Win World: Life Beyond Global
Economic Warfare. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler Publishers.
9. United Nations Development Program (UNDP) (2004). Human Development
Report 2004. New York: Oxford University Press.
10. Wheatley, Margaret (1992). Leadership and the New Sciences: Learning About
Organization from an Orderly Universe. San Francisco, CA: Berrett-Koehler
Publishers.
2
Course Calendar---Organizational Modules, Readings and Assignments
Module I:
Getting Started and Framing the Issue in Sustainable Development
Session 1: January 13h—Introduction—Waves of Change—Necessary Revolution
Long Wave of Change—Necessary Revolution in Sustainable
Development
Theory of Change
Communities of Practice—Green Plus
Guest Speaker: Carlos Garcia—Thinking About Development
Class Exercise—Small Group Exercise
 Knowledge assessment and course expectations.
 Exploring the relationship between sustainable development and issues
of environmental protection, economic development, and social equity.
Assignments—Next Class Session
 Develop your own definitions of sustainable development as it pertains
to your career goals—two pages double spaced.
 Write me letter—Over the next two weeks you must write me a letter
dated April 21st, which begins with the words, “Dear Mr. Nelson, I got
my __ (grade) because….,” and in this letter you are to tell, in as much
detail as you can, the story of what will have happened to you by this
date that is in line with the grade you have earned.” In writing this
letter everything must be written in the past tense. I am interested in
knowledge and skills you will have gained but also the person you
have become, e.g. your philosophy and stance toward social and
economic development.
3
Session 2: January 20th –Framing the Issues of Sustainable Development
Assigned Reading:
Senge, Peter et al. (2008). “Part I: Endings and New Beginnings.” Pg. 3-42.
Recommended Reading:
Roseland, Mark (2005). “Part I: Sustainable Community, Sustainable Planet.”
Pg. 1-39.
Guest: Aaron Nelson and Chamber Team—The Foundation for a
Sustainable Community and the Institute for Sustainable
Development



History of the Foundation and Institute
Vision and Business Plan
Developing a Work Plan for the Semester
Session 3: January 27th —Green Plus as a Community of Practice for Sustainable
Development Start-Up
Assigned Reading:
Esty, Daniel C. and Andrew S. Winston. (2006). “Part 1: Preparing for a New
World.” Pg. 7-65.
Module II: Green Plus—People, Planet, and Profit
Session 4: February 3rd –Overview of Sustainable Development
Assigned Reading:
Guest: Frank Phoenix—Fenwick Foundation and Greenbridge
Thinking Together (4)—Community Engagement for Sustainable
Development
4
Session 5: February 10th – People
Assigned Reading:
Senge, Peter et. al. (2008). “Part II: The Future Is Now.” Pg. 57-77.
Recommended Reading:
Roseland, Mark. (2005). “Chapter 11 Housing and Community Development and
Chapter 12 Community and Economic Development.” Pg. 154-184.
Guest: Self-Help Credit Union
Session 6: February 17th — Planet
Assigned Reading:
Esty, Daniel C. and Andrew S. Winston. (2006). “Part II: Strategies for Building
Eco-Advantage.” Pg. 101—142.
Recommended Reading:
Roseland, Mark. (2005). “Chapter 4-Greening the City (pgs. 44-56); Chapter 8
Atmospheric Change and Air Quality (pgs. 103-111); Chapter 9 Transportation
and Traffic Management (114-128); and Chapter 10-Land Use and Urban Form
(133-150).
Guests: Rural and Urban Sustainable Development
Session 7: February 24th ---Profit—Making a Sustainable Profit
Assigned Reading:
Senge, Peter et. al. (2008). “Part III: Getting Started.” Pg. 101-157.
Recommended Reading:
Roseland, Mark. (2005). “Chapter 5-Water and Sewage (pgs. 60-71) and Chapter
7-Waste Reduction and Recycling (74-84).
Guest: Restaurant
5
Session 8: March 3rd—Metrics for Sustainable Development
Assigned Reading:
Esty, Daniel C. and Andrew S. Winston. (2006). “Part III: What WaveRiders Do.”
Pg. 143-206.
Guest: Jonathan Estes
Student Presentations: Feedback on the Green Plus Platform
Spring Break—March 6th to 16th
Module III: Creating a Framework for Sustainable Development
Session 9: March 17th
Assigned Reading:
Senge, Peter et. al. (2008). “Part IV—Seeing Systems.” Pg. 168-196.
Recommended Reading:
Roseland, Mark. (2005). “Chapter 13—Governing Sustainable Communities.” Pg.
190-196.
Guest: Triangle Community Foundation—A Community Perspective
Session 10: March 24th—
Assigned Reading:
Senge, Peter et. al. (2008). “Part V: Collaborating Across Boundaries.” Pg. 227267.
Guest: Micro Enterprises and Conservation Fund
6
Session 11: March 31st
Assigned Reading:
Senge, Peter et. al. (2008). “Part VI: From Problem Solving to Creating.” Pg. 285334.
Recommended Reading:
Roseland, Mark. (2005). “Chapter 14-Tools for Community Sustainability.” Pg.
207-215.
Guest: Energy
Session 12: April 7th
Assigned Reading
Esty, Daniel C. and Andrew S. Winston. (2006). “Chapter 9-Inspiring and EcoAdvantage Culture and Part IV: Putting It All Together.” Pg. 206-283.
Guest: Sustainable Development as Community Development
Session 13: April 14th
Assigned Reading:
Senge, Peter et. al. (2008). “Part VII: The Future.” Pg. 348-378.
Recommended Reading:
Roseland, Mark. (2005). “Chapter 15—Lessons and Challenges.” Pg. 219-222.
Flip-It Presentations
Session 14: April 21st
Assigned Reading:
Flip-It Presentations
7
Class Assignments
There are three assignments due in this course:
1. Letter—Course Grade: Letter identifying grade earned and content learned:
Due on January 20th.
2. Thought Piece: A thought piece on sustainable development—your personal
working definition: Due January 20th.
3. Feedback on Green Plus Web Platform: Due on March 3rd.
4. Essays and Presentations: Key Works on Sustainable Development
5. Flip It Exercises and Presentations
Assignment of Course Grades
The following weights will be applied to the various assignments associated with this
course.
1. Thought Piece
10%
2. Feedback on Green Plus 20%
3. Essays/Presentations
20%
4. Flip-It Presentations
40%
5. Class Participation
10%
Course Evaluation
The course will be evaluated using evaluation form developed by the School of Social
Work.
8