The aim of the seminar on risk and resources within the context of nutrition is to discuss and analyze public health and social scientific aspects of our food culture and the way we eat.
To be central within the seminar are the societal influences on our food culture. We will look for answers on questions such as: Why do men eat differently than women? How do our cultural heritage and our socio-economic status influence what we like to eat and how we like to eat it? How do parenting, religion, moral, tradition, media, peer groups, economics, agricultural and social policies, institutions like nurseries, kindergartens, schools, universities, workplaces, the food industry, technological, economical and biochemical developments and inventions influence our nutrition and our food culture? How is our food produced? What are the ecological and sanitary dangers resulting from large scale food production? Why do we witness abundance and scarcity on our planet at the same time? What can be done to defeat world hunger and how can we sustain food safety for a growing world population without depredating our natural resources?

Research on sustainability issues aims on the macro- meso- or micro level. While political sciences and sociology research on the micro- and meso-level, this General Studies on social sustainably (inter)action focuses on the bridge between sociology and psychology: micro practices in organisations, interaction between people, their needs and ways of coping.
In winter terms (parts 1, 3, 5), students explore in part 1 postmodern issues in organisations (e.g. work addiction, burnout, mobbing), in part 3 approaches for solutions (e.g. participation, acknowledgement, conflict management), and in part 5 sustainable leadership (e.g. micro politic, team cooperation, leadership ethic). In summer terms (parts 2, 4, 6), selected in-depth subjects are targeted: part 2 deals with psychological particulars (e.g. identity and work, institutional defence and adaptation, sense-making and work), in part 4 intercultural communication and cooperation is explored, and in part 6 selected approaches of counselling (e.g. systemic counselling, coaching, supervision) are focussed. In summer, field explorations enlarge the theoretical body of knowledge, while in all seminars of the series aspects of socially sustainably action in organisations are understood better.
In Part 6, during this summer term, approaches of counselling are explored: Which ways of counsel are helpful to support actors in organisations to act socially sustainably? After an introductory start workshop with the theoretical and cooperation framework for the seminar, students prepare workshops on selected topics which will allow interactive learning for all participants. Following a practical approach for General Studies, experience-based didactic is required in all workshops: preparation reading and field exploration of participants, short inputs and working in small groups are part of an interactive setting. The lecturer offers literature and examples, counsels student's teams in their preparation, and offers differentiated feedback afterwards. Topics of the term after the introduction in the discourse of social sustainability in organisations: selected approaches to communication and group cooperation, systemic counselling, supervision, intervision, and coaching. Field explorations in student's teams add to a literature based understanding.

Interest in work-related issues and interdisciplinary points of view, willingness of participants to active participation, interaction and refection are prerequisites for this trainings-seminar. English is used as a lingua franca; student's level must allow to partake actively.

The General Studies seminar can be studied as a stand-alone or as a series. Recommended for students in their 3rd semester or above, open to students from their 1st semester on, open to students from other faculties (BA, MA) and to Erasmus incomings. Please note that this trainings-seminar is limited to 20 participants.

2 SWS: fortnightly, starting in the 2nd week of the term, 3 hours (s.t.!), Tuesdays from 6-9 p.m. Please apply reliable via Stud.IP, all further information there.

Recommended literature
Sommers-Flanagan et al (2004). Counselling and psychotherapy theories in context and practice: skills, strategies, and techniques. Wiley.
Meyerhuber, Sylke 2014.Trust and Time in Reorganisations and the Role of Middle Managers. In: G. Becke (Ed.), Mindful Change in Times of Permanent Reorganisation. Organizational, Institutional and Sustainability Perspectives. Springer, 147-166.
Passmore, J. (2010). Leadership coaching. (Intern. association for coaching). Kogan.

Requirements for ECTS points
Preparation of an interactive workshop on a specific topic, including a field exploration and a written documentary in small teams of students (3/6 ECTS).

The aim of the seminar on risk and resources within the context of nutrition is to discuss and analyze public health and social scientific aspects of our food culture and the way we eat.
To be central within the seminar are the societal influences on our food culture. We will look for answers on questions such as: Why do men eat differently than women? How do our cultural heritage and our socio-economic status influence what we like to eat and how we like to eat it? How do parenting, religion, moral, tradition, media, peer groups, economics, agricultural and social policies, institutions like nurseries, kindergartens, schools, universities, workplaces, the food industry, technological, economical and biochemical developments and inventions influence our nutrition and our food culture? How is our food produced? What are the ecological and sanitary dangers resulting from large scale food production? Why do we witness abundance and scarcity on our planet at the same time? What can be done to defeat world hunger and how can we sustain food safety for a growing world population without depredating our natural resources?