Postgraduate Course: Political Ecology (GEGR11001)
Course Outline
| School | School of Geosciences |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Course type | Standard |
Availability | Available to all students |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
Credits | 20 |
| Home subject area | Postgraduate Courses (School of GeoSciences) |
Other subject area | None |
| Course website |
None |
Taught in Gaelic? | No |
| Course description | How can we understand the relationships between culture and nature? Where and how are material and imaginary natures made? How do questions of nature become questions of power and capital? The multiple scales and seeming intractability of current environmental crises has prompted a number of critiques of mainstream environmentalism and sustainability. The theoretical components of this course are devoted to exploring the theories of relational natureculture, eco-Marxism and biopolitics. These concepts are worked through a range of environmental problematics: wild nature; non-human species mobility; biodiversity conservation; industrial food production; ecosystem services; geo-engineering; apocalyptic imaginaries. Class sessions are split between traditional lectures and more interactive activities. The course also encourages students to reflect on their own position and develop their own ways of thinking about the politics of nature.
|
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
| Additional Costs | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| Displayed in Visiting Students Prospectus? | Yes |
Course Delivery Information
|
| Delivery period: 2013/14 Semester 2, Available to all students (SV1)
|
Learn enabled: Yes |
Quota: None |
Web Timetable |
Web Timetable |
| Course Start Date |
13/01/2014 |
| Breakdown of Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 33,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
163 )
|
| Additional Notes |
|
| Breakdown of Assessment Methods (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
|
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
1. Critical understanding of the problems with mainstream environmentalism
2. Synthesize current theoretical debates and bring them into critical dialogue with real-world examples
3. Understand how nature is produced in different settings and contexts
4. Students to develop their own voice and way of thinking about the politics of environmentalism |
Assessment Information
One essay abstract (10%)
One 3,000 word essay (90%)
Class assessment tbc |
Special Arrangements
| None |
Additional Information
| Academic description |
Not entered |
| Syllabus |
Indicative outline of class meetings:
1. Introduction: Why politics of nature?
2. Theory: Hybrid nature-cultures
3. Wild: After nature
4. Invasion: mobile species and new natures
5. Aotearoa: indigenous naturecultures
6. Theory: Capitalism and neo-liberal natures
7. Ecosystem: Neoliberal environmental governance
8. Chicken: Biosecurity and producing life
9. Atmosphere: Geo-engineering the climate
10. Apocalypse! Living in the End Timesa topic for the session
11. Review and symposium
|
| Transferable skills |
Not entered |
| Reading list |
There is no set text book, but the following provide useful overviews. It is recommended that you use these books as ways into thinking about particular debates and for ensuring breadth of engagement.
Castree, N. (2005). Nature. London, New York: Routledge.
Castree, N., & Braun, B. (Eds.). (2001). Social nature: theory, practice, and politics. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell.
Hinchliffe, S. (2007). Geographies of nature: societies, environments, ecologies. London: Sage.
Peet, R., Robbins, P., & Watts, M. J. (Eds.). (2011). Global Political Ecology. London & New York: Routledge.
|
| Study Abroad |
Not entered |
| Study Pattern |
Not entered |
| Keywords | GEGR11001, Nature, environmentalism, eco-Marxism, relational, climate change, capitalism |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Dr William Ginn
Tel:
Email: wginn@exseed.ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Miss Lynne Mcgillivray
Tel: (0131 6)50 2543
Email: Lynne.McGillivray@ed.ac.uk |
|
© Copyright 2013 The University of Edinburgh - 10 October 2013 4:25 am
|
University Homepage