HEN624 Ethical and Local Economy

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2014
Extent and Intensity
0/2. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Eva Fraňková, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
RNDr. Naděžda Vlašín Johanisová, Ph.D. (seminar tutor)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Bohuslav Binka, Ph.D.
Department of Environmental Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Bc. Petra Burišková
Supplier department: Department of Environmental Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Timetable
Tue 9:45–11:15 U32
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 25 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/25, only registered: 0/25
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
The course is meant especially for students who have already attended (or are attending) a basic undergraduate or graduate course on economics in the environmental studies programme and have a deeper interest in practical socio-ecological economic alternatives. Examples of such alternatives include e.g. community-supported agriculture, carsharing groups and renewable energy co-operatives. The course will be interactive and students will be expected to engage actively in class and to read and commment one text (in Czech or in English) weekly. The texts will form a basis for class discussions. The course will also include discussions with invited speakers who have practical experience with grassroots eco-social initiatives and projects.
Aims of the course: While attending the course the student will acquire the following knowledge, competences and attitudes:
Knowledge: Information on practical models, solutions and approaches in the field of ecological economics (so-called alternative economic projects or projects of the social/solidarity economy)in the Czech Republic and abroad and their contextualisation in terms of ecological economics and other current streams of thought.;
Competences: ability to read Czech and English specialised texts and their evaluation, strengthening the ability of critical thinking and discussion, application of the principles of ecological economics and models of community economies in practice, teamwork, producing a case study or project proposal for a community economic project.
Attitudes: confidence to analyse and pracically apply community economic projects, realistic evaluation of benefits and limitations of such projects as one tool of a transition to an environmentally and socially more sustainable economy.
Syllabus
  • Introductions, information on course evaluation
  • Ecological vs. environmental economics/ Carsharing in Brno
  • Degrowth/the Czech social enterprise Diakonie Broumov
  • Post-development/Timbactu Collective,India
  • The commons as alternative to state and market/community land trusts, municipal projects
  • Co-operatives/The Co-operative Konzum, Ústí nad Orlicí
  • Criticisms of the money system/ a new ethical financial institution project
  • Alternative economic practices, non-monetised economies/LETS Brno
  • Social enterprise/Social enterprise in the Czech Republic
  • Economic localisation/Community-supported-agriculture in the Czech Republic
  • Student presentations of their assignment drafts
  • Anarchism/Issues around affordable housing in the Czech Republic
  • This session´s programme is subject to students´ decision
  • The programme is approximate and may undergo changes
Literature
    recommended literature
  • ILLICH, Ivan. Tools for Conviviality. Harper and Row, N.Y., 1973
  • Bringing the food economy homelocal alternatives to global agribusiness. Edited by Helena Norberg-Hodge - Steven Gorelick - Todd Merrifield. Halifax, N.S.: Fernwood. vi, 150 p. ISBN 1552660826. 2002. info
  • DOUTHWAITE, Richard. Ekológia peňazí. Dolný Kubín: diveRzita. 77 s. ISBN 80-968086-2-1. 1999. info
Teaching methods
The course will be interactive and students will be expected to engage actively in class and to read and commment one text (in Czech or in English) weekly. The texts will form a basis for class discussions. The course will also include discussions with invited speakers who have practical experience with grassroots eco-social initiatives and projects.
Assessment methods
Students will be evaluated using a system of points based on:
1. their active attendance in class (students will be expected to take an active part in at least ten sessions)
2. their timely handing-in of comments to readings (this will be required for almost all of the sessions)
3. handing in of a final paper: either a case study of a selected community economic project, or a description of their own potential project. Students will work on this assignment in pairs.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
Listed among pre-requisites of other courses
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2015, Spring 2017.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2014, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2014/HEN624