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PL21013: Environment sustainability democracy

[Page last updated: 15 October 2020]

Follow this link for further information on academic years Academic Year: 2020/1
Further information on owning departmentsOwning Department/School: Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies
Further information on credits Credits: 6      [equivalent to 12 CATS credits]
Further information on notional study hours Notional Study Hours: 120
Further information on unit levels Level: Intermediate (FHEQ level 5)
Further information on teaching periods Period:
Semester 2
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Summary: CW 33%, ES 67%
CW33ES67
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Detail:
  • Assessment detail data for this unit is currently being updated as a change has been approved. Updated assessment information will be published here shortly.
  • Coursework (CW 33%)
  • Essay (ES 67%)
Further information on unit assessment Assessment Detail:
  • Assessment detail data for this unit is currently being updated as a change has been approved. Updated assessment information will be published here shortly.
  • Coursework (CW 33%)
  • Essay (ES 67%)
Further information on supplementary assessment Supplementary Assessment:
Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Further information on requisites Requisites:
Description: Aims:
The main aims are:
* to explore what environmental politics is about;
* to examine competing eco-political discourses. This includes how eco-political actors articulate their concerns, as well as their visions for socio-ecological transformation;
* to investigate how environmental and sustainability issues link into democratic politics;
* to study the appeal or relevance of technocratic, non-democratic, or even authoritarian strands of environmental politics.

Learning Outcomes:
Students who complete the unit successfully will be able to demonstrate:
* a clear grasp of competing eco-political discourses and conceptualisations of nature, environment, and sustainability;
* an understanding of the ways in which political ideologies underpin responses to environmental issues;
* an ability to understand and contribute to contemporary debates about the advantages and drawbacks of democratic approaches to environmental issues.

Skills:
Skills in critical analysis, conceptual thinking, precision in the use of written and spoken language, exercise of independent judgement, reasoned argument, teamwork and the planning/conduct/reporting of research are developed and assessed in this unit.

Content:

* Competing notions of nature, the environment and sustainability;
* Competing understandings of what constitutes an environmental problem and what its causes are;
* Competing visions for socio-ecological transformation;
* Climate change, the Anthropocene, and climate change denialism;
* Non-democratic and authoritarian approaches to environmental problems;
* Environmental justice and related social movements.
Further information on programme availabilityProgramme availability:

PL21013 is Optional on the following programmes:

Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies
  • UHPL-AYB13 : BA(Hons) French and Politics with Year Abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AYB12 : BA(Hons) German and Politics with Year Abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AYB16 : BA(Hons) Italian ab initio and Politics with Year Abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AYB17 : BA(Hons) Spanish and Politics with Year Abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AFB30 : BSc(Hons) Politics and International Relations (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AAB30 : BSc(Hons) Politics and International Relations with Study year abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AKB30 : BSc(Hons) Politics and International Relations with Year long work placement (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AFB10 : BSc(Hons) Politics with Economics (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AAB10 : BSc(Hons) Politics with Economics with Study year abroad (Year 2)
  • UHPL-AKB10 : BSc(Hons) Politics with Economics with Year long work placement (Year 2)

Notes:

  • This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2020/21 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2021/22 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2020/21.
  • Programmes and units are subject to change in accordance with normal University procedures.
  • Availability of units will be subject to constraints such as staff availability, minimum and maximum group sizes, and timetabling factors as well as a student's ability to meet any pre-requisite rules.
  • Find out more about these and other important University terms and conditions here.