★★★★★ This course made the complicated subject of the economics of sustainability very understandable and brought it to the level of common sense. Professor Ikerd laid out the facts in a very logical, interesting and compelling way, and pointed out a new direction that the world really needs to take.—ML
The future of humanity is in peril. The defining question of the 21st Century is: “How can we meet the needs of all in the present without diminishing opportunities for those of the future?” How can we create a sustainable economy?
The pursuit of economic growth has been allowed to take priority over the economic necessity for ecological and social integrity.
There is only one basic course for “the essentials” of economic sustainability. It is relevant to all levels – high school through PhD and beyond. Personal applications will be different but the basic principles are unchanging. Students will gain the understanding they need to challenge the neoclassical economic thinking that provides the rationale for the current unsustainable global economy. More important, they will be challenged to explore the new worldview, paradigms, and principles essential for creating a new sustainable economy.
John E. Ikerd, PhD, is one of the leading experts in the world on the economics of sustainable agriculture and the author of eight books, including Small Farms Are Real Farms.
Dr. Ikerd speaks on this topic around the world. In 2014, he was selected by the United Nations to represent North America at a U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) conference in Rome.
Dr. Ikerd is a visiting professor with the Sustainable Living Department at MUM and Professor Emeritus of Agricultural Economics, University of Missouri Columbia.