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Environmental Studies (ENVS) 689

The Political Ecology of Global Environmental Change (Revision 1)

**Note:Students in Group Study courses are advised that this syllabus may vary in key details in each instance of the course. Always refer to the Moodle site for the most up-to-date details on texts, assignment structure, and grading.**

Introduction

In ENVS 689: The Political Ecology of Global Environmental Change, students will have the chance to examine a range of environmental-change issues and above all learn how these issues are a part of a larger process of environmental change. They will learn about the connections between various environmental concerns and the theoretical and practical approaches used to address these issues. Students will have the chance to engage in dialogue and will be exposed to environmental writings and given the chance to produce their own.

Course Objectives

The central objectives of this course are to:

  • understand political ecology as one theoretical approach to dealing with the socio-environmental problems facing the world
  • develop an understanding of complex nature-society systems, and to see how these systems exhibit properties such as interdependence, emergent behaviour, and chaos
  • explore and critique the scientific, social, and theoretical aspects of key contemporary socio-environmental issues
  • explore the interaction between nature and culture and discuss how nature/culture duality influences contemporary environmental issues

Course Structure

Week 1 - 2 Unit 1: Theoretical Architecture of Political Ecology
Week 3 Unit 2: Sustainable Development?
Week 4-5 Unit 3: Complex Nature-Society Systems and Environmental Knowledge
Week 6 Unit 4: Measuring Our Impact

 

Week 7 Unit 5: The Hole Ozone Story—Environmental Issues and the Tragedy of the Commons
Weeks 8-9 Unit 6: Hot Air—Greenhouse Gases and Global Climate Change
Week 10-11 Unit 7: Energy Production and the Production of Energy Inequalities
Week 12-13 Unit 8: Biodiversity Loss, Biodiversity Found
Week 14-15 Unit 9: A Wild Problem—Nature Versus Culture in Protected Areas

Student Evaluation

To receive credit for this course, students must participate in the online activities, successfully complete the assignments, and achieve a final mark of at least 60 per cent. The Master of Arts-Integrated Studies grading system is available online at the MAIS home page. Please note that it is students' responsibility to maintain their program status. Any student who receives a grade of "F" in one course, or a grade of "C" in more than one course, may be required to withdraw from the program.

The following table summarizes the evaluation activities and the credit weights associated with them.

Course Activity Weighting
Participation in online forums 35%
Bibliography and Outline 15%
Major Paper 50%
Total 100%

Course Materials

The package you receive should contain each of the items listed below.

Textbooks

  • Neumann, Roderick P. (2005). Making Political Ecology. London: Hodder Education.

Athabasca University materials

Course Guide: This course guide will provide you will all the background information you require to complete this course. In particular, the study guide section gives you detailed information for each week of the course. It will provide a list of readings, on-line conference assignments, and commentary.

Reading File: In addition to the textbooks, you will receive a collection of articles that is your reading file. Some of the reading file is provided electronically through the AU Digital Reading Room.

Athabasca University Library: Students are encouraged to browse the Library's Web site to review the Library collection of journal databases, electronic journals, and digital reference tools: http://library.athabascau.ca.

Athabasca University reserves the right to amend course outlines occasionally and without notice. Courses offered by other delivery methods may vary from their individualized-study counterparts.

Opened in Revision 1, September 1, 2009.

Last updated by MAIS  05/11/2012 14:07:10