Sus­tain­able Cap­it­al­ism in the Nor­dics

Course content

This course begins with the pivotal question, “Is capitalism sustainable?” and proceeds to explore the ambitious goal of realizing sustainable capitalism. We use the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framework to critically compare American and Nordic varieties of capitalism, assessing their impacts on sustainable development with a particular focus on the role of for-profit companies. Rooted in critical thinking and interactive discussion, this course delves into ideas about capitalism and its interplay with sustainability.

Nordic nations and companies are often recognized as global sustainability frontrunners, consistently achieving top rankings in the SDG Index, the World’s Happiest Countries survey, and the Global 100 World's Most Sustainable Companies, among other metrics. This course benchmarks these comparative Nordic successes to identify practical lessons. Additionally, we critique and explore the limitations of Nordic capitalism.

This discussion-based course features an international immersion week in Copenhagen, Denmark, with site visits to relevant organizations in the Greater Copenhagen Area, and academic sessions at Copenhagen Business School.