Rethinking Sustainability: Challenges, Approaches, and Practice
Following the success of last year’s inaugural edition at St Andrews, StACCS is delighted to announce that we will be co-hosting our second summer school from 22–26 June at the University of Bonn. Our longstanding collaboration with Bonn’s Center for Development Research reflects our shared commitment to exploring alternative approaches to sustainability through interdisciplinary dialogue and critical reflection. Designed for postgraduate research students and postdocs/early career researchers, the programme will include thought-provoking sessions including: ‘Conceptualising and Interrogating Sustainability’, ‘Connecting Sustainability, Culture, and the Arts’, and ‘Rethinking Resource Use and the Economy’.
Why Bonn? Known for its rich cultural life, green spaces, and international outlook, Bonn is home to several UN institutions focused on sustainability, including the UN Campus – home of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). It’s also easy to reach by train or bus, making it an ideal destination for low-carbon travel.
Feedback from Last Year. We asked: ‘what would you say to other scholars about your experience of this summer school?’. Scholars who joined us in St Andrews shared reflections including the following:
- ‘They will encounter new ways of learning. They will unlearn a lot and they will also develop a sense of critical thinking.’
- ‘The program is carefully thought through to reflect current issues in the area of critical sustainable research.’
- ‘Sharing results will be more rewarding and can have a bigger impact than expected.’
Bursary Opportunities. To support wider participation, and with a view to reducing the carbon footprint of the summer school, we are offering the following awards:
- 1 Access Bursary (£1000). Applicants should submit a 250-word statement explaining why they need this support.
- 5 Low-Carbon Travel Bursaries (£300 each). Applicants should submit a 100-word statement explaining how they will use these funds to offset the cost of travelling by bus or train.
After the programmee, awardees will be asked to write a short 200-word reflection (with photos) on one of the following themes:
- Your travel experience
- A specific activity, task, or workshop which you particularly enjoyed
- A visit you made during the summer school (e.g. to the UN Campus)
- Interdisciplinary approaches to sustainability research
- Alternative sustainabilities