Students in Grouped-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.
Overview
ENVS 689: The Political Ecology of Global Environmental Change offers a comprehensive exploration of the intricate relationships between the environment and politics in the context of global change. The course delves into the dynamic interplay between human activities, ecosystems, and institutions, fostering an understanding of how environmental issues are shaped by power dynamics, social structures, and policy decisions. The curriculum is designed to provide students with a robust theoretical foundation and in-depth case-study analyses.
Outline
ENVS 689 is divided into four units spread over 15 weeks, with each week exploring a different topic:
Unit 1: Introduction to Political Ecology and Its Critics
Week 1: Introduction to Political Ecology—Its Past and Present
Week 2: Criticisms of Political Ecology
Unit 2: Key Concepts to Assess Case Studies in Political Ecology
Week 3: The Emergence of Political Ecology—History of a New Discipline
Week 4: Challenges in Social Construction and the Degradation Thesis
Week 5: Conservation and Environmental Identities
Unit 3: Methodologies, Case Studies, and the Future of Political Ecology
Week 6: Identifying the Politics in Political Ecology
Week 7: A Future for Political Ecology?
Week 8: Analyzing the Political Ecology of Climate Change
Week 9: Gender and the Environment
Week 10: Policy and Environmental Control
Week 11: Social Hierarchies Defining Geopolitical and Global Relationships
Week 12: The Politics of the Forest
Week 13: Reassessing Political Ecology
Unit 4: Researching a Thesis
Weeks 14 and 15: Preparing a Comparative Case-Study Analysis
Learning outcomes
After completing ENVS 689, you will be able to achieve the following intended outcomes.
Theoretical Proficiency: Students will grasp the core theories and frameworks of political ecology, enabling them to critically analyze and evaluate complex environmental issues.
Case-Study Mastery: Through in-depth case studies from diverse regions, students will develop a nuanced understanding of real-world environmental challenges and the political dimensions that underpin them.
Policy Insight: Graduates will be equipped to contribute to informed policy discussions and decision-making processes related to global environmental change and sustainability.
Interdisciplinary Approach: By synthesizing concepts from ecology, politics, economics, and sociology, students will be prepared to engage in interdisciplinary research and collaboration.
Critical Analysis: Students will hone their ability to critically assess existing literature, data, and narratives, thereby fostering a reflective and analytical approach to environmental issues.
Evaluation
To receive credit for ENVS 689, you must complete and submit all of the assignments and meet participation expectations. You must achieve a minimum grade of C− (60 percent) for the course. Students should be familiar with the Master of Arts—Interdisciplinary Studies grading system. 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.
Activity
Weight
Participation in Weekly Online Discussions
30%
Assignment 1: Case-Study Analysis
20%
Assignment 2: Case-Study Analysis
20%
Final Assignment: Comparative Case-Study Analysis
30%
Total
100%
Materials
Robbins, P. (2020). Political ecology: A critical introduction. (3rd ed.). Wiley-Blackwell. (eText)
All other readings are available online and can be accessed through the Digital Reading Room. These texts are linked at the appropriate locations in your Study Guide.
Athabasca University Library: Students are encouraged to browse the Library’s website 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.