Search result: Catalogue data in Autumn Semester 2024
Science in Perspective  In “Science in Perspective”-courses students learn to reflect on ETH’s STEM subjects from the perspective of humanities, political and social sciences. Only the courses listed below will be recognized as "Science in Perspective" courses. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Type A: Enhancement of Reflection CompetenceSiP courses are recommended for bachelor students after their first-year examination and for all master- or doctoral students. All SiP courses are listed in Type A. Courses listed under Type B are only recommendations for enrollment for specific departments. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 851-0626-01L | International Development Cooperation  Does not take place this semester. | W | 2 credits | 2V | I. Günther | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Abstract | The course gives economic and empirical foundations for a sound understanding of the instruments, prospects and limitations of international development aid. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Learning objective | Students have a theoretically and empirically sound understanding of the prospects and limitations of international development aid. Students are able to critically discuss the various aid instruments of bi-and multilateral donors and NGOs. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Content | Introduction to the Determinants of Underdevelopment; History of Aid; Aid and Development: Theories and Empirics; Political Economy of Aid; Experience and Impact of Aid; New Instruments of Aid: e.g. Micro-Finance, Budget-Support; Fair-Trade. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Literature | Articles and book abstracts will be uploaded to a course website. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 851-0609-06L | Governing the Energy Transition Primarily suited for Master and PhD level. | W | 2 credits | 2V | T. Schmidt, L. P. Fesenfeld | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Abstract | This course addresses the role of policy and its underlying politics in the transformation of the energy sector. It covers historical, socio-economic, and political perspectives and applies various theoretical concepts to understand specific aspects of the governance of the energy transition. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Learning objective | - To gain an overview of the history of the transition of large technical systems - To recognize current challenges in the energy system to understand the theoretical frameworks and concepts for studying transitions - To gain knowledge on the role of policy and politics in energy transitions | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Content | Climate change, access to energy and other societal challenges are directly linked to the way we use and create energy. Both the 2015 United Nations Paris climate change agreement and the UN Sustainable Development Goals make a fast and extensive transition of the energy system necessary. This lecture introduces the social and environmental challenges involved in the energy sector and discusses the implications of these challenges for the rate and direction of technical change in the energy sector. It compares the current situation with historical socio-technical transitions and derives the consequences for policy-making. It introduces theoretical frameworks and concepts for studying innovation and transitions. It then focuses on the role of policy and policy change in governing the energy transition, considering the role of political actors, institutions and policy feedback. The grade will be determined by a final exam. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lecture notes | Slides and reading material will be made available via moodle.ethz.ch (only for registered students). | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Literature | A reading list will be provided via moodle.ethz.ch at the beginning of the semester. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prerequisites / Notice | This course is particularly suited for students of the following programmes: MA Comparative International Studies; MSc Energy Science & Technology; MSc Environmental Sciences; MSc Management, Technology & Economics; MSc Science, Technology & Policy; ETH & UZH PhD programmes. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 363-0387-00L | Corporate Sustainability | W | 3 credits | 2G | V. Hoffmann, C. Bening-Bach, B. Girod, L. Miehé | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Abstract | The lecture explores current challenges of corporate sustainability and prepares students to become champions for sustainable business practices. The module combines asynchronous videos, live sessions, with a group work phase between weeks 5-10 of semester during which students deep-dive into one of 10 sustainability challenges. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Learning objective | Students - assess the limits and the potential of corporate sustainability for sustainable development - develop competencies that are useful in the context of corporate sustainability and beyond (analytical competency, critical thinking, problem solving) - recognize and realize opportunities through team work for corporate sustainability in a business environment - present strategic recommendations in teams | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Content | Corporate Sustainability is the flagship course of the Group for Sustainability and Technology at D-MTEC. In this course, students learn about key concepts in corporate sustainability and develop skills to implement them in the real world. The course prepares students for making well-informed sustainability decisions in their future careers. The course uses constructive alignment to bring the various innovative teaching and learning elements (e.g., case-based experiential learning, reflective thinking and blended learning with videos and quizzes) into a coherent transformational journey. Students can now flexibly, efficiently, and effectively acquire the conceptual foundations that are essential for a substantial understanding of corporate sustainability. For part of the course, students work in groups to complete a set of graded assignments designed to guide them into a deep dive on a selected corporate sustainability challenge. Please note that full participation in this part is essential, so make sure you are available. Furthermore, these group assignments count towards the overall grade for the course. For further details on the course structure etc. visit the following link: http://www.sustec.ethz.ch/teaching/lectures/corporate-sustainability.html | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lecture notes | Presentation slides will be made available on Moodle after lectures. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Literature | Literature recommendations will be distributed via Moodle, and are available from the start of the course. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prerequisites / Notice | TEACHING FORMAT/ ATTENDANCE: The course includes several mandatory sessions that participants must attend to successfully earn credit points. It is not possible to take the class purely online | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 363-0565-00L | Principles of Macroeconomics | W | 3 credits | 2V | J.‑E. Sturm, E. Baselgia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Abstract | This course examines the behaviour of macroeconomic variables, such as gross domestic product, unemployment and inflation rates. It tries to answer questions like: How can we explain fluctuations of national economic activity? What can economic policy do against unemployment and inflation? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Learning objective | This lecture will introduce the fundamentals of macroeconomic theory and explain their relevance to every-day economic problems. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Content | This course helps you understand the world in which you live. There are many questions about the macroeconomy that might spark your curiosity. Why are living standards so meagre in many African countries? Why do some countries have high rates of inflation while others have stable prices? Why have some European countries adopted a common currency? These are just a few of the questions that this course will help you answer. Furthermore, this course will give you a better understanding of the potential and limits of economic policy. As a voter, you help choose the policies that guide the allocation of society's resources. When deciding which policies to support, you may find yourself asking various questions about economics. What are the burdens associated with alternative forms of taxation? What are the effects of free trade with other countries? How does the government budget deficit affect the economy? These and similar questions are always on the minds of policy makers. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lecture notes | The course Moodle page contains announcements, course information and lecture slides. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Literature | The set-up of the course will closely follow the book of N. Gregory Mankiw and Mark P. Taylor (2023), Economics, Cengage Learning, 6th Edition. This book can also be used for the course '363-0503-00L Principles of Microeconomics' (Filippini). Besides this textbook, the slides, lecture notes and problem sets will cover the content of the lecture and the exam questions. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 351-0555-00L | Open- and User Innovation Not for students belonging to D-MTEC! | W | 3 credits | 2G | S. Häfliger, S. Spaeth | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Abstract | The course introduces the students to the long-standing tradition of actively involving users of technology and other knowledge-intensive products in the development and production process, and through own cases they develop an entrepreneurial understanding of product development under distributed, user-centered, or open innovation strategies. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Learning objective | The course includes both lectures and exercises alternately. The goal is to understand the opportunity of user innovation for management and develop strategies to harness the value of user-developed ideas and contributions for firms and other organizations. The students actively participate in discussions during the lectures and contribute presentations of case studies during the exercises. The combination should allow to compare theory with practical cases from various industries. The course presents and builds upon recent research and challenges the students to devise innovation strategies that take into account the availability of user expertise, free and public knowledge, and the interaction with communities that span beyond one organization. Performance assessment will be: a written group essay based on the open/user innovation case that participants will research and present during the block seminar (including the slides). Each group will have to hand in a 15-20 page essay, details on the required format and the content will be distributed during the course. Active lass participation is required. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Content | This course on user innovation extends courses on knowledge management and innovation as well as marketing. The students are introduced to the long-standing tradition of actively involving users of technology and other knowledge-intensive products in the development and production process, and through own cases they develop an entrepreneurial understanding of product development under distributed, user-centered, or open innovation strategies. Theoretical underpinnings taught in the course include models of innovation, the structuration of technology, and an introduction to entrepreneurship. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lecture notes | The slides of the lectures are made available and updated continuously through Moodle. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Literature | Relevant literature for the course includes slides and reading assignments. Papers will be made available through a corresponding Moodle group. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 701-0747-00L | Environmental Policy of Switzerland | W | 3 credits | 2G | E. Lieberherr, M. J. Fischer | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Abstract | This course presents the basics of public policy analysis and the specific characteristics of Swiss environmental policy. Policy instruments, actors and processes are addressed from a political science perspective both theoretically as well as by means of current Swiss environmental policy examples. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Learning objective | Beyond acquiring basic knowledge about public policy analysis, this course teaches students how to analytically address current and concrete questions of environmental policy. Through exercises the students learn about political science concepts and frameworks as well as real-life political decision-making processes. The well-grounded examination of complex political conflict situations is an important precondition for the entry into the (environmental policy) workforce or a future research career. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Content | The processes of change, overuse or destruction of the natural environment through humans have historically placed high demands on social and political institutions. In the interplay between the environment, society and economy, the environmental policy field encompasses the sum of public measures that have the goal to eliminate, reduce or avoid environmental degradation. The course systematically presents the basics of environmental policy instruments, actors, programs and processes as well as their change over time. Invited practitioners will provide us with insight regarding the current developments in forest, water and spatial planning policies. A key aspect is the distinction between politics and political science and specifically environmental policy. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lecture notes | The reader and additional lecture material and exercises will be posted on Moodle. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Literature | Reader and additional lecture material on moodle. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prerequisites / Notice | The detailed semester program (syllabus) is made available to the students at the beginning of the semester. During the lecture we will work with Moodle and eduApp. We ask that all students register themselves on these platforms before the lecture and to bring a laptop, tablet or smartphone to class, so that you can complete exercises using Moodle and eduApp. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 351-1158-00L | Economics Not for students belonging to D-MTEC! | W | 3 credits | 2G | U. Renold, T. Bolli, P. McDonald, F. Pusterla, A. Zubovic | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Abstract | This course introduces basic economic concepts and theories. Beginning with microeconomics, the course starts with the topics of supply and demand, markets, and behavioral economics before moving on to the key macroeconomic concepts of national accounts, the labor market, trade, and monetary policy. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Learning objective | After successful completion of the course you will be able to: -Describe the basic micro- and macroeconomic problems and theories. -Introduce economic reasoning appropriately to a given topic. -Evaluate economic measures. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Content | Households, firms, supply and demand: How are household preferences and consumption patterns formed? How does a household react to price changes? How are goods prices formed? At what prices are companies willing to offer goods? How do we make economic decisions? Markets: What is "perfect competition" and how does a competitive market work? Are monopolies always a bad thing? How can the state influence the market? Market failure: What happens when prices give wrong signals? Labour market: How do supply and demand work in the labour market? What influences unemployment? National accounts: How big is the Swiss economy? Foreign trade: Why do countries trade with each other? What are the consequences for the domestic market? Money and inflation: What exactly is money? How does money creation work and what happens when there is too much (or too little) money on the market? Students will be asked to apply these concepts to issues in their own field of study and to current issues in society. This goal will be achieved through participation in exercises, class discussions and reading material from current media. By the end of the course, students should be able to apply economic analysis confidently and independently. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lecture notes | no script available | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Literature | Mankiw, N.G.: "Principles of Economics", 8th edition, South-Western College/West, Mason 2018. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prerequisites / Notice | Sie brauchen keine Vorkenntnisse, um dem Kurs zu folgen. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 351-1109-00L | Introduction to Microeconomics GESS (Science in Perspective): This course is only for students enrolled in a Bachelor’s degree programme. Students enrolled in a Master’s degree programme may attend “Principles of Microeconomics” (LE 363-0503-00L) instead. Note for D-MAVT students: If you have already successfully completed “Principles of Microeconomics” (LE 363-0503-00L), then you will not be permitted to attend it again. | W | 3 credits | 2G | M. Wörter, M. Beck | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Abstract | The course introduces basic principles, problems and approaches of microeconomics. It describes economic decisions of households and firms, and their coordination through perfectly competitive markets. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Learning objective | Students acquire a deeper understanding of basic microeconomic models. They acquire the ability to apply these models in the interpretation of real world economic contexts. Students acquire a reflective and contextual knowledge on how societies use scarce resources to produce goods and services and distribute them among themselves. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Content | Market, budget constraint, preferences, utility function, utility maximisation, demand, technology, profit function, cost minimisation, cost functions, perfect competition, information and communication technologies | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lecture notes | Course material in e-learning environment https://moodle-app2.let.ethz.ch/auth/shibboleth/login.php | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Literature | Varian, Hal R. (2014), Intermediate Microeconomics, W.W. Norton | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Prerequisites / Notice | This course "Einführung in die Mikroökonomie“ (363-1109-00L) is intended for Bachelor students and LE 363-0503-00 "Principles of Microeconomics" for Master students. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 851-0622-00L | Inequality and Injustice: Economic and Philosophical Perspectives Does not take place this semester. | W | 3 credits | 2S | I. Günther, N. Mazouz | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Abstract | Globalization and technological progress in recent decades have on the one hand reduced inequality and led to new forms of inequality on the other hand. The question is whether these new forms of inequality lead to more inequity. This course provides an overview of the current philosophical and economic discourse on inequality and injustice. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Learning objective | Using philosophical and economic texts and discussions, students develop an understanding of the concepts, developments, causes, and consequences of inequality. Students will acquire the ability to participate in an informed discourse on the issues of inequality and injustice and to critically reflect on their actions and position in the world. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Content | In this seminar we will explore the issues of inequality and injustice. In doing so, we will explore the following questions: What is meant by inequality and injustice? Under what circumstances are inequalities unjust? Have inequalities and injustices increased or decreased over the last 50 years? What are the causes of increasing or decreasing inequality? What do these inequalities and injustices mean for our society? And what public and private measures are needed for more inclusive societies? - Concepts of inequality and injustice - Development of inequality over the last 50 years based on different dimensions of inequality: income, wealth, education, health, CO2 emissions, political participation. - Discrimination of women, people with physical disabilities, people of the "Global South". - Causes of inequality: globalization, technological progress, political systems and institutions, economic system, social discrimination, stereotypes and norms. - Consequences of inequality: justice, dignity, inefficiency - Towards more inclusive societies: the role of policies, civil society, social movements and individual behavior. The seminar is based on readings of economic and philosophical texts and is complemented by short presentations and discussions with scholars of philosophy and economics. In some cases, practitioners will also be invited to the seminar. Students will apply the concepts, theories and knowledge covered in the course to practical issues related to inequality and inequity. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 851-0685-00L | Data and Society | W | 3 credits | 2V | M. Leese | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Abstract | This lecture series explores the multifaceted role of data in shaping contemporary society, governance, and individual lives. The course equips students with a critical understanding of how data is made, managed, and preserved, and its implications for societal norms and individual rights. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Learning objective | At the end of the term, students will be able to: • reflect concepts and theories that capture the performativity of data • reflect concepts and theories that capture the socio-technical nature of data • assess the implications of data practices for social and political ordering • identify key actors, sites, and domain contexts of data practices | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| 851-0226-00L | Postcolonial Readings Does not take place this semester. | W | 3 credits | 2V | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Abstract | The history of colonialism in the modern age begins with Christopher Columbus who, as Todorov has well told us, did not "discover" anything, but crossed the Ocean in search of riches, bringing with him a baggage of violence, stereotypes and violent conquest of resources and bodies. And from here, from that 1492, the story became one of blood and struggle. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Learning objective | The course will be based on case studies, linked to national realities (Brazil, Senegal, Eritrea, Great Britain, Italy, Peru, Somalia, etc.) and to physical places (the front, the museum, the field, the street, the body), to see how in different contexts, despite the peculiarity of the context, the dilemmas that are attempted to be answered are in fact very similar. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Content | WE are here, because YOU have been there, have you ever heard that phrase? In a university lecture hall? In an anti-racist demonstration? In a play? In a discussion on the bus? The YOU represents Europe and in a broader sense the West, the WE the peoples who suffered colonization by the very West that portrayed itself as a beacon of civilization. The history of colonialism in the modern age begins with Christopher Columbus who, as Todorov has well told us, did not "discover" anything, but crossed the Ocean in search of riches, bringing with him a baggage of violence, stereotypes and violent conquest of resources and bodies. And from here, from that 1492, the story became one of blood and struggle. It is a story that has covered a time span from precisely 1492 to the present, ranging from human trafficking to the extractive, and accumulation, policies of our contemporary times. The consequences of all this violence are sadly still visible on the body of the world, open wounds that bleed. Wounds in which lurk prejudice, systemic racism and murder. To examine these consequences, to understand how contemporary societies in the global north and south, are still torn apart by this history that never seems to pass; we will rely on literature, on "postcolonial" texts that will show us the complexity of what exists. The course will be based on case studies, linked to national realities (Brazil, Senegal, Eritrea, Great Britain, Italy, Peru, Somalia, etc.) and to physical places (the front, the museum, the field, the street, the body), to see how in different contexts, despite the peculiarity of the context, the dilemmas that are attempted to be answered are in fact very similar. The lecture will examine the body of the colonized/migrant as a field of battle and resistance in real and metaphorical wars. Place where the stereotype is overthrown through a will for personal agency. Colonial space and the consequent postcolonial space is a hierarchical space where instruments of violence and oppression do not provide for the agency of the colonized subject or in the contemporary case of the migrant subject placed by power structures in a space of subalternity. But subjects are born free and though in a confined space seek their own path to freedom and awareness. In ways that are perhaps paradoxical in our eyes, but certainly effective in a very limited space granted. In the three lectures, through literary texts, three case studies related to as many books will be examined to understand precisely this tension between enclosed space and the search for freedom. A tension between (unjust) rules imposed, malevolent looks imposed and one's own body, one's own moral integrity. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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