GLOBE2509 – The politics of sustainable development

This course will introduce you to the major theoretical and empirical approaches to the study of sustainable development, including the contested nature of the sustainable development discourse at global and national levels. It will highlight core features of the 2030 Agenda and its 17 accompanying Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including issues related to governance and the underlying theory of change. The added value of international goalsetting on sustainable development and attempts to address the climate crisis will feature prominently in the lectures.

As countries in the Global South have called for major reforms of the global financial architecture to better achieve sustainable development, this course will focus on the multilateral governance systems including the United Nations, the World Bank Group, and intergovernmental forums such as the G20 and the BRICS. In addition to identifying and critically discussing the effectiveness of global and national institutional arrangements, the lectures will address the role and availability of finance (including aid) and technology to achieve sustainable development. The relationship between democracy and sustainable development will also be explored, including recent trends of democratic backsliding. By taking this course, you will learn how to better understand what works, how and why in relation to global and national interventions aimed at promoting sustainable development.

By taking this course, you will

• Become well acquainted with the major theoretical and empirical approaches to the study of sustainable development.
• Acquire a nuanced understanding of the role, influence, and impact of the multilateral governance on sustainable development.
• Gain insight into the explicit role of democracy and politics in achieving sustainable development and addressing climate disruption.
• Learn how to understand what works, how and why in sustainable development.

Admission to this course requires enrolment in either:

• UiOs Sustainability certificate
• a bachelor's programme at the University of Oslo
• a programme at a Circle U. university on Bachelor's level
• a UiO single course student status (Single courses on Bachelor's level - University of Oslo)

Documentation requirements for Circle U. students:

• Confirmation of student status. Please attach a certificate that confirms that you are currently enrolled as a student in a program on Bachelor's level at one of the Circle U. universities. The confirmation must include:
• That you have admission to a study program
• Level of study
• That you are currently enrolled as a student in your program
• Copy of passport or ID-card.
• Name change documentation if your name appears differently in any of your documentation.

Application deadline: August 21, 2026.

Please find the application form for Circle:U students here.

This course is a fully digital intensive course.

Before the course period, students must watch pre-recorded lectures. During the course period, there will be online lectures and discussion sessions led by teachers from UiO and partner institutions.

Teaching requires active participation. Students must attend all online sessions during the course period in order to take the exam.

• Illness at exams / postponed exams
• Resitting an examination