SOCI 480V - Sustainable Communities

3-4 Credit(s)

This course explores sustainable communities and leadership skills for generating them. Emphasis will be on the ecovillage model, transition initiatives, and assorted public sector solutions (from neighborhood scale to city/state/nation level) and will apply the UN SDG (sustainable development goals) framework. Students will learn about sustainable communities with an emphasis on the ecovillage model, taking part in immersion experiences at two thriving ecovillages the Ecovillage at Ithaca in New York State and the Cloughjordan Ecovillage in County Tipperary, Ireland. Students will experience community life through social and service-learning activities, workshops with community residents and educators, field trips to nearby sustainability projects and exploring the natural surroundings at both locations. The course ends with a visit to Galway to explore urban sustainability practices.