SC209-5-FY-CO:
Environment, Sustainability and Climate Change
2023/24
Sociology and Criminology
Colchester Campus
Full Year
Undergraduate: Level 5
Current
Thursday 05 October 2023
Friday 28 June 2024
30
09 February 2023
Requisites for this module
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
(none)
Do you want to understand one of the defining social issues of the age? Do you want to learn how humans interact with and shape nature? Are you interested in the ways you can contribute to and change the world as a citizen-consumer?
Contemporary debates about climate change, concerns about the degradation of the environment, threats to biodiversity and the concomitant challenges to human health and well-being have placed the natural environment – non-human nature – at the centre of political deliberation and campaigning, both nationally and internationally. This module will explore the links between a growing consciousness of the natural environment fostered by policy makers, environmental and conservation organisations, writers, academics and the everyday feelings about and engagement with the environment by a lay public.
This module aims to:
• To develop an understanding of competing theorizations of society and environment relations
• To explore ideas of sustainability, ethical consumption and the possibilities and limitations of changing consumer behaviour
• To develop an understanding of the political economy of the food system.
• To develop an understanding of natural relations and human/animal relations
• To develop an understanding of the debates and evidence around climate change and its sociogenic causes
• To explore the place of landscape in national cultures and the moral geographies of landscape use
• To explore different traditions and genres of environmental writing
• To explore different ways of presenting ideas through blogs, film reviews and presentations
By the end of the module, students should be able to
• critically assess different theories of nature and ‘society and environment’ relations;
• apply ideas of cultural landscape and the concept of moral geographies;
• critically assess and deploy sociogenic accounts of climate change and environmental change;
• critically apply ideas about sustainability to ethical consumption;
• understand and use social science, natural science and humanities perspectives on the environment;
• present ideas about the environment to different audiences
Term one introduces you to key environment and social justice issues. It first provides an overview of pressing environment issues before focusing in on sustainable food systems. Students will examine and debate provocative questions on animal consumption/production, food waste and alternative food networks. Throughout this term, students are invited to reflect on the challenge of sustainable consumption within their own lives.
Term two introduces a range of critical attempts to theorize the natural world, 'society and environment' relations and natural relations more broadly. It covers the debates about wilderness, national parks, natural heritage, access to the countryside and the moral geographies of recreations and landscape. It also considers recent work on human and non-human animal relations.
There will be two additional 1-hour tutorials on blog writing and support for the sustainable consumption challenge assignment in the Autumn term.
This module will be delivered via:
- A 2-hour weekly seminar.
This will be taught face-to-face. You are strongly encouraged to attend the seminars as they provide an opportunity to talk with your class teacher and other students. The seminars will be captured and available via Listen Again. However, if you want to gain the most you can from these seminars it is very important that you attend and engage.
In addition to your timetabled hours for this module, you should aim to spend up to eight hours per week undertaking your own private study (reading, preparing for classes or assignments).
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Murji, K., Neal, S. and Solomos, J. (eds) (2022) Introduction to Sociology. Los Angeles, CA: Sage.
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Climate change: I work in the environmental movement. I don’t care if you recycle. - Vox (no date). Available at:
https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/2019/5/28/18629833/climate-change-2019-green-new-deal.
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Mol, A.P.J., Sonnenfeld, D.A. and Spaargaren, G. (eds) (2009)
The ecological modernisation reader: environmental reform in theory and practice. London: Routledge. Available at:
https://doi-org.uniessexlib.idm.oclc.org/10.4324/9781003061069.
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James Dyke (no date) ‘Climate scientists: concept of net zero is a dangerous trap’,
The Conversation [Preprint]. Available at:
https://theconversation.com/climate-scientists-concept-of-net-zero-is-a-dangerous-trap-157368.
The above list is indicative of the essential reading for the course.
The library makes provision for all reading list items, with digital provision where possible, and these resources are shared between students.
Further reading can be obtained from this module's
reading list.
Assessment items, weightings and deadlines
| Coursework / exam |
Description |
Deadline |
Coursework weighting |
| Coursework |
Group Presentation |
|
10% |
| Coursework |
Blog or Film Review |
|
15% |
| Coursework |
Sustainable consumption challenge with reflection |
|
15% |
| Coursework |
Essay |
|
30% |
| Coursework |
Essay & reflective statement |
|
30% |
Exam format definitions
- Remote, open book: Your exam will take place remotely via an online learning platform. You may refer to any physical or electronic materials during the exam.
- In-person, open book: Your exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer to any physical materials such as paper study notes or a textbook during the exam. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, open book (restricted): The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may refer only to specific physical materials such as a named textbook during the exam. Permitted materials will be specified by your department. Electronic devices may not be used in the exam.
- In-person, closed book: The exam will take place on campus under invigilation. You may not refer to any physical materials or electronic devices during the exam. There may be times when a paper dictionary,
for example, may be permitted in an otherwise closed book exam. Any exceptions will be specified by your department.
Your department will provide further guidance before your exams.
Overall assessment
Reassessment
Module supervisor and teaching staff
Yes
Yes
Yes
Dr Aneira Edmunds
School of Law, Politics & Sociology
Senior Lecturer
Dr Paul Gilbert
University of Sussex
Senior Lecturer in International Development
Available via Moodle
Of 41 hours, 41 (100%) hours available to students:
0 hours not recorded due to service coverage or fault;
0 hours not recorded due to opt-out by lecturer(s), module, or event type.
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