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PL50604: The politics of sustainability: environmental security and international relations

Follow this link for further information on academic years Academic Year: 2013/4
Follow this link for further information on owning departmentsOwning Department/School: Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies
Follow this link for further information on credits Credits: 6
Follow this link for further information on unit levels Level: Masters UG & PG (FHEQ level 7)
Follow this link for further information on period slots Period: Semester 2
Follow this link for further information on unit assessment Assessment: CW 100%
Follow this link for further information on supplementary assessment Supplementary Assessment: Like-for-like reassessment (where allowed by programme regulations)
Follow this link for further information on unit rules Requisites:
Follow this link for further information on unit content Description: Aims:
The unit aims to:
* explore the different dimensions of the politics of sustainability;
* investigate the role of key regional actors (such as the EU and the USA) in promoting sustainability and enhancing environmental security;
* investigate how environmental security issues contribute to changes in international relations in the contemporary period.

Learning Outcomes:
Students who have successfully completed this unit will:
* be able to analyse the politics of sustainability in relation to the management of environmental issues and to the development of sustainable social and economic relations;
* understand how environmental security is a major factor in shaping international relations;
* have detailed knowledge about national sustainability programmes and the internationalisation of sustainability politics;
* have detailed knowledge of political actors, their goals, instruments and behaviour in shaping the politics of sustainability.

Skills:
The key skills the unit will hone and further develop are:
* Advanced research skills in identifying, locating and exploiting a wide range of descriptive, evaluative and theoretical literature.
* Intellectual skills of conceptual, original and independent thinking, critical analysis, synthesis and reasoned argument.
* Skills of assessment and judgement in relation to the soundness of competing arguments and scenarios, including the reporting and assessing of qualitative and quantitative data.
* Generic and transferable skills related to the oral and written presentation of ideas.
* Skills of self-direction, self-evaluation and time management.

Content:
Lectures and seminars will cover the following main themes:
* Sustainability: the political dimensions of a contested concept.
* Environment and security: causes and consequences of environmental risk.
* Resource scarcity, resource conflicts and eco-terrorism.
* The geopolitics of energy sourcing.
* The international politics of climate change.
* International environmental regimes and leadership conflicts between the EU, the USA and other key actors.
Follow this link for further information on programme availabilityProgramme availability:

PL50604 is Optional on the following programmes:

Department of Politics, Languages and International Studies
  • THPL-AFM16 : MA Contemporary European Studies: Politics Policy and Society (Full-time)
  • THPL-AFM17 : MA Contemporary European Studies (with transatlantic track) (Full-time)
  • THPL-AFM24 : MA Contemporary Transatlantic Studies (Full-time)
  • THPL-AFM20 : MA International Relations (Full-time)
  • THPL-AFM22 : MA International Relations and European Politics (Full-time)
  • THPL-AFM15 : MA International Security (Full-time)
  • THPL-APM15 : MA International Security (Part-time)
Department of Social & Policy Sciences
  • THSP-AFM13 : MSc International Public Policy Analysis (Full-time)
  • THSP-APM13 : MSc International Public Policy Analysis (Part-time)
  • THSP-AFM15 : MSc Wellbeing in Public Policy and International Development (Full-time)
  • THSP-APM15 : MSc Wellbeing in Public Policy and International Development (Part-time)

Notes:
* This unit catalogue is applicable for the 2013/14 academic year only. Students continuing their studies into 2014/15 and beyond should not assume that this unit will be available in future years in the format displayed here for 2013/14.
* Programmes and units are subject to change at any time, 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.