Summer Semester 2024: Seminar “Negotiating a sustainable future between protest and participation”

In the summer term 2024, Prof. Dr. Ulrike Zeigermann led the seminar “Negotiating a sustainable future between protest and participation”. The aim of the seminar was to analyze and question central factors of social sustainability governance: Which conditions promote or inhibit sustainable political transformations? What role do protest movements and civil society participation play in this process?

To answer these questions, various social fields were examined, including climate movements, forms of protest and mechanisms of political participation. The seminar combined theoretical foundations with practical event formats such as lectures, a panel discussion, a world climate simulation and a film analysis in order to convey the theoretical content in a clear and practical way.

The first part of the seminar analyzed how political negotiations to shape a sustainable future are structured and conducted at international level. The second part dealt with basic theories of social movements, collective forms of action and protest strategies. Based on the knowledge imparted, various environmental and climate movements were examined and compared with each other.  

A central component of the seminar was the World Climate Simulation, which was oriented towards COP 28 in Dubai and was conducted using the climate interactive tool C-ROADS. The students took on the roles of representatives from industrialized, emerging and developing countries and had to negotiate with each other in this role. The aim was to decide on measures to limit global warming to a maximum of 2°C by 2100. The subsequent reflection made it clear how complex power structures and diverging negotiating interests influence international climate policy.

In addition to this simulation, the students also gained insights into real politics. A particular highlight of the seminar was a panel discussion with candidates for the 2024 European elections, organized in cooperation with the Institute of International Relations. Moderated by Prof. Dr. Grimm and Prof. Dr. Zeigermann, the event provided a platform for representatives of various political parties (Freie Wähler, CSU, SPD, FDP, Die Grünen and Volt) to present their positions on the 2024 European elections. The students asked specific questions about Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 7, 10, 16 and 17 and then analyzed the different political positions and communication strategies of the participants.

Another thematic focus was the compatibility of democracy and sustainability. As part of a film analysis, the film “Don't Look Up” was used to reflect on the interactions between democratic processes and sustainable politics with the help of theoretical literature and to critically question society's perception of environmental crises.

At the end of the seminar, the focus was on current climate movements. The students examined protest movements of their choice from the climate or environmental sector and compared their strategies and forms of action. A particular highlight was the guest lecture by former guest researcher Matyáš Křížkovský. Based on his doctoral project, the role of “movement intellectuals” within the climate and environmental movements was discussed and their significance for social transformation processes analyzed.

The seminar offered participants an interdisciplinary and practical approach to the topic of shaping a sustainable future. By linking theory, simulation, political debate and empirical research, the complex interactions between protest, participation and political decision-making were conveyed.