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DEGREE REGULATIONS & PROGRAMMES OF STUDY 2017/2018

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DRPS : Course Catalogue : School of Geosciences : Postgraduate Courses (School of GeoSciences)

Postgraduate Course: Understanding Environment and Development (PGGE11187)

Course Outline
SchoolSchool of Geosciences CollegeCollege of Science and Engineering
Credit level (Normal year taken)SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) AvailabilityNot available to visiting students
SCQF Credits20 ECTS Credits10
SummaryThis course aims to introduce students to the relationships between the environment and international development, and the ways in which we might think about these relations. It takes a critical perspective when reflecting on mainstreamed approaches to sustainable development and draws on current academic debate in considering the contested, political and ideological nature of environment and development issues. It views society and nature as inherently linked and global capitalism as an underlying force of change. Issues of access, justice, distributions of costs and benefits, power, and (in)equalities are foregrounded in our considerations, as are the roles and responsibilities of a range of actors (state, international agencies and organisations, civil society and local communities).

The course aims not to teach students how to do environment/development work, but rather how to critically think about what it is that environment/development work does, for whom, and with what consequences. It therefore focuses on the contribution of academic theory, critique and debate to on-going practices in environment and development.
Course description The course considers core concepts and theories within the field of environment and development. It explains and explores these through a range of case-study and empirical material, drawn from both published literature and lecturers¿ own research. We are also joined by a range of practitioners within the field of environment and development, as a way to link into students¿ future careers and ¿real-world¿ practice.

Each week¿s class is divided into three SESSIONS (each 45-50 minutes long, with breaks in between):

1. Lecture ¿ introduces core concepts and theories by drawing on academic literature.

2. Seminar ¿ class-wide discussion based on a paper which must be read before class (except week 1 when we will watch a film instead). The paper will relate to the lecture (session 1) topic but will allow students to bring in their own understanding and reflections around the topic and its wider significance. As the course will comprise a mix of students from different countries, academic backgrounds and past/on-going careers, this time for discussion will be really productive in sharing and co-creating ideas, reflections and learning.

3. Case-study/Practitioner ¿ we will be joined by either a guest lecturer who will share findings from their own current research as a case-study of what we¿ve covered in the lecture (session 1), or by a practitioner in the field of environment and development, who will share their knowledge, experience and reflections more generally on working in this field.
Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
Pre-requisites Co-requisites
Prohibited Combinations Other requirements None
Course Delivery Information
Academic year 2017/18, Not available to visiting students (SS1) Quota:  50
Course Start Semester 2
Timetable Timetable
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 )
Assessment (Further Info) Written Exam 0 %, Coursework 100 %, Practical Exam 0 %
Additional Information (Assessment) Course assessment will involve two tasks:

1. Group presentation (40% of total course mark)

2. Individual essay (60% of the total course mark)

Feedback Not entered
No Exam Information
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
  1. Learn to appreciate the interrelated and political nature of environment and development issues
  2. Learn to use key academic theory and debate with regards environment and development issues
  3. Learn to critically reflect upon current practices and approaches in environment and development
  4. Learn to build and convey sophisticated arguments drawing on complex evidence through writing and the spoken word
Reading List
General course readings A series of general texts are given below, which between them include key authors in the field and cover the range of issues and topics covered in the course.

¿ Castree, N. and Braun, B. (eds.). (2001) Social Nature: Theory, Practice and Politics. John Wiley & Sons: Oxford.
¿ Cronon, W. (ed.). (1995) Uncommon Ground: Rethinking the Human Place in Nature. North & Company: New York.
¿ Harvey, D. (1996) Justice, Nature and the Geography of Difference. Blackwell: Cambridge, MA.
¿ Martinez-Alier, J. (2002) Environmentalism of the Poor. Edward Elgar: Cheltenham.
¿ Ostrom, E. (1990) Governing the Commons. Cambridge University Press: Cambridge.
¿ Peet, R. and Watts, M.J. (2004) Liberation Ecologies: Environment, Development and Social Movements. 2nd edition. Routledge: London.
¿ Peet, R., Robbins, P. and Watts, M.J. (2011) Global Political Ecology. Routledge: London.
¿ Robbins, P. (2004/2012) Political Ecology: A Critical Introduction. Blackwell: Oxford.
Additional Information
Graduate Attributes and Skills Not entered
KeywordsEnvironment,Development,Society
Contacts
Course organiserDr Samantha Staddon
Tel:
Email: Sam.Staddon@ed.ac.uk
Course secretaryMrs Paula Escobar
Tel: (0131 6)50 2543
Email: paula.escobar@ed.ac.uk
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