Global challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, and ocean acidification signal a profound transformation of the Earth system, one that demands equally profound changes in how we govern it. This course examines how governance at the global level is, and could be, organized in response to the complex, interconnected crises of the Anthropocene.

We begin by investigating the Earth system itself as the central object of governance, tracing how scientific and cultural understandings of the planet shape what and how we govern. From there, we unpack the architecture of global governance, exploring the institutions, actors, and norms that define the current system. The course then delves into key dimensions of Earth system governance: legal frameworks and their limitations, the role of power and structural asymmetries, questions of democratic legitimacy, and the constraints imposed by dominant imaginaries of the future.

Each lecture builds on the last to form a critical and cumulative exploration, from foundational concepts to visionary reform. Participants are encouraged not only to understand existing governance arrangements, but also to critique their shortcomings and imagine alternatives. Throughout, we draw on the Earth System Governance research framework, engaging with core themes such as agency, architecture, justice, democracy, power, anticipation, and reflexivity.

By the end of the course, participants will have developed a nuanced understanding of global Earth system governance and its challenges, as well as the analytical tools and creative mindset needed to envision transformative change.

Schedule