POLITICAL
ECONOMY OF THE ENVIRONMENT
Relations between societies and nature are, and have always
been, complex. But contemporary relations and their manifestations,
such as acid rain, urban air pollution, deforestation,
thinning of the upper atmospheric ozone layer, endangered
species, threats to biodiversity, and the prospect of
global warming, are raising concerns that fundamental
problems in society-nature relations exist. This course
reviews several theories and policy orientations ranging
from Neo-Malthusianism to ecological economics and eco-Marxism.
Policy case studies covering such issues as Environmental
Justice, Environment and Public Health, Trade and the
Environment, Global Climate Change, and Sustainable Development
are used to evaluate the current range of political-economic
explanations of nature-society relations.
READINGS
IN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE
Advanced readings in political economy and political ecology
are used in this tutorial to examine key theoretical and
conceptual problems in the field of environmental justice.
These include: the interrelationships of race, class and
gender in patterns of environmental injustice; law, policy
and environmental justice; North-South contexts of environmental
justice; relationships between social and environmental
commodification.
ISSUES IN
LAND USE & ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING
Mainstream and alternative approaches to the concepts
of land and environment are discussed in relation to social
and physical planning. Models of land and environment
as commodity, ecology, cultural-scape, and legal category
are considered. The implications of these models for planning
are detailed, including their economic, political and
institutional consequences.
ENVIRONMENTAL
ETHICS
The seminar examines a range of ethics and environmental
perspectives and challenges students to develop critiques
of each perspective. The format, after the introduction,
is student seminars in which students present Publications for
challenge by fellow students and the professor.
SPATIAL ANALYSIS
OF NATURAL RESOURCES
Considers the applications, technology, best-practice
solutions, and implementation issues associated with the
use of GIS for social and environmental analysis.. Focus
on environmental applications of GIS and web-based technologies
in areas such as natural resource planning, land use management
and health planning. Provides hands-on experience in the
use of GIS and the opportunity for students to develop
their own GIS project.
ORGANIZING
FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE
Analysis and comparison of four contemporary types of
organizing approaches used in the US, examining their
ideologies, methods of application, theories of change,
and expected outcomes relative to changing social and
economic policies. Environmental justice applications
are considered.
PROSEMINAR
IN GOVERNANCE, PLANNING & MANAGEMENT
Addresses policy and research issues concerning the making,
administering and outcomes of public policies affecting
urban populations and with how urban governance, planning
and management processes are influenced by the interaction
of the public, private and third sectors at the local,
national and international scales. Environmental justice
issues can be addressed through writing assignments.
SPECIAL TOPICS
IN ENVIRONMENTAL SOCIOLOGY
The seminar focuses on various special interest topics
in Environmental Sociology (e.g., environmental justice;
international environmental movements; emerging environmental
problems).
SOCIAL SCIENCE
PERSPECTIVES ON RISK
The seminar reviews the principal theoretical and methodological
approaches in the social sciences used in the study of
risk perception, risk assessment, and risk management.
Applications to environmental justice concerns are possible
through writing assignments.
