SGO2500 – North/South Development: Energy transitions and sustainability
Course description
Schedule, syllabus and examination date
Course content
This course provides a geographical and critical perspective to global development, with a focus on processes in and in relation to the global South. The course aims to provide students with a fundamental understanding of the challenges related to sustainable development from the perspective of the global South by focusing on energy transitions.
Energy is fundamental to individual and collective social and economic development. How energy is produced and consumed shapes the human-nature relationship and impacts nature, often in profound ways. In other words, energy systems are at the heart of global sustainability debates, and the question how to meet current as well as future needs while balancing social, economic and ecological considerations. Thus, energy transitions - fundamental changes in energy production and consumption patterns that involve technological, economic, social and cultural changes - have impact on opportunities and challenges in development. In light of climate change and the need to divest from fossil energies, energy transitions have become a cornerstone of sustainable development strategies around the world as well as international development policy agendas. The different patterns, pathways, and experiences of energy transitions across different countries illuminate not only the inherent difficulties of pursuing sustainability but also the fundamental differences between the global North and South in terms of development priorities, capacities and challenges. We discuss critically whether and how these differences are rooted in colonial and development history and the related history of energy.
Core issues of international development, such as globalization and population growth, are addressed from the perspective of the global South and placed in the context of global sustainability. The awareness of a spatial perspective to development problems and processes will enable students to identify and understand the impact of regional and global processes on people’s lives in specific places.
Learning outcome
Knowledge
After completing the course, students will
- Have knowledge of key concepts, theories and perspectives related to energy transitions for sustainable development from a geographical perspective.
- Be familiar with key concepts and perspectives related to actors, processes and institutions relevant to the study of energy transitions and sustainability in the global South.
- Understand the importance of energy for sustainable development trajectories in the global South, especially in relation to climate change.
- Can explain the movements and flows of energy, and how that affects development in the global South.
- Can analyze the dynamics of energy transitions at the global, national and local levels and understand various interests and contestations.
- Have greater knowledge about the complexities of improving people’s living conditions in the South.
Skills
After completing the course, students
- Can apply concepts, theories and perspectives on sustainable development to understand issues and processes related to the global South.
- Can evaluate energy and sustainable development issues from a geographical perspective, being attentive to spatial differences and processes.
- Can identify the relation between processes at different geographical levels in issues related to population, resources, actors and institutions in the global South.
Competences
After completing the course, students
- Have a broad and critical understanding of North-South development, energy transitions and sustainability.
- Are able to present and give constructive feedback on the topics of the course.
- Have practice in systematizing and presenting information.
Admission to the course
If you are not already enrolled as a student at UiO, please see our information about admission requirements and procedures
Students who are admitted to study programmes or individual courses at UiO must each semester register which courses and exams they wish to sign up for in StudentWeb
Admission to this course is done on the basis of specific rules. For further information, please read: Rangeringsregler ved SV-fakultetet.
Recommended previous knowledge
SGO1001 – Innføring i samfunnsgeografi
Overlapping courses
- 10 credits overlap with SGEOGS.
- 10 credits overlap with SGEOGS.
- 10 credits overlap with SGEOR.
- 10 credits overlap with SGEOR.
- 10 credits overlap with SGO120.
- 10 credits overlap with SGO120.
- 10 credits overlap with SGO2500P.
Teaching
This course will be taught at The University of Oslo, Blindern campus. Other location in Oslo may be used.
The lectures and seminars will be given in English. The course is designed for both Norwegian students and international students.
The course is part of the regular course provision at The Faculty of Social Science. Teaching is mainly held during daytime.
The course offers two study options
- A seminar-based option, available for all students committed to compulsory seminar attendance and group work.
- A self-study option, for students unable to follow regular seminar activities.
It is expected that both groups follow the lectures.
Students choose their preffered study-option upon registration to the course in Studentweb.
Compulsory activity
Compulsory instruction and coursework For seminar-based option only:
- Participation in the seminars is compulsory. Valid absence is allowed for a maximum of 2 seminars.
- The seminars will combine individual and group work, small written assignments, discussions and oral presentations.
- A guide for seminar work will be posted in Canvas
For self-study option only:
- There is no compulsory attendance or course work for students choosing the self-study option.
Completed and approved compulsory course work is valid until the course is no longer offered. Students who have failed to complete the compulsory course work cannot take the exam.
Change of seminar groups or study-options
Application for change of seminar group
The deadline to change between the seminar-based option and the self-study option is the same as the one for changing seminar group.
Absence from compulsory tuition activities
If you are ill or have another valid reason for being absent from compulsory tuition activities, your absence may be approved or the compulsory activity may be postponed.
Access to teaching
A student who has completed compulsory instruction and coursework and has had these approved, is not entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework. A student who has been admitted to a course, but who has not completed compulsory instruction and coursework or had these approved, is entitled to repeat that instruction and coursework, depending on available capacity.
Examination
A 4-hour school exam.
Guidelines for writing a school exam (English)
Guidelines for writing a school exam (Norwegian)
Withdrawal from an examination and attempts
It is possible to take the exam up to 3 times. If you withdraw from the exam after the deadline or during the exam, this will be counted as an examination attempt.
Examination support material
Students may use dictionaries at this exam. Dictionaries must be handed in before the examination. Please read regulations for dictionaries permitted at the examination.
Language of examination
The examination text is given in English.You may submit your response in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish or English.
Grading scale
Grades are awarded on a scale from A to F, where A is the best grade and F is a fail. Read more about the grading system.
Resit an examination
If you are sick or have another valid reason for not attending the regular exam, we offer a postponed exam later in the same semester.
See also our information about resitting an exam.
More about examinations at UiO
- Use of sources and citations
- Special exam arrangements due to individual needs
- Withdrawal from an exam
- Illness at exams / postponed exams
- Explanation of grades and appeals
- Resitting an exam
- Cheating/attempted cheating
You will find further guides and resources at the web page on examinations at UiO.