EDS130 Introduction to Political Ecology

Credits (ECTS):10

Course responsible:Tor-Arve Benjaminsen, Melanie Erin Sommerville

Campus / Online:Taught campus Ås

Teaching language:Engelsk

Course frequency:Annually

Nominal workload:Lectures (38 hours) and own study -reading/writing (212 hours). Total: 250 hours

Teaching and exam period:This course has teaching/evaluation in Spring parallel.

About this course

The first part of the course focuses on theoretical issues and approaches relating to political ecology (population and scarcity, markets and commodities, institutions and the commons, environmental ethics, risks and hazards, political economy, and social constructions of nature). Thereafter, the lectures will present case studies of particular environmental issues and resources to highlight some of the theoretical issues. In addition, there will be student-led seminars that further explore relevant topics and themes within political ecology.

Learning outcome

Knowledge:

The student is able to describe/explain

  • key analytical concepts in Political Ecology
  • the disciplinary origins of Political Ecology
  • key issues in Political Ecology, including population and scarcity, markets and commodities, institutions and the commons, environmental ethics, risks and hazards, political economy, and social constructions of nature

Skills:

The student is able to

  • exemplify the relevance of Political Ecology for addressing socio-environmental problems
  • critically analyze environment and development problems
  • engage in discussion around central socio-environmental issues

General competence:

The students have a general understanding of the field of Political Ecology, and a strengthened ability to address socio-environmental issues.

  • Two lectures/seminars per week throughout the spring semester.
  • The responsible teacher is available for support and additional explanations in their office.
  • There will be two submissions that each will count 40% of the final grade and an in-class seminar that will count for 20% of the final grade. The first submission is a take-home test where students answer 4 out of 6 possible questions (1 page per answer). The in class seminar involves students working in small groups to create and deliver a presentation to their fellow students. In the last week of the course, the students will work on the final paper (5 pages).

    Graded A-F

  • An external examiner will approve the evaluation method and read a sample of papers.
  • - Participation in classes

    - Take-home assignment

    - Take-home essay

    - In class presentation and delivery of a seminar

  • There will be 19 double lectures, 38 hours of lectures/seminars in total.
  • Students accepted into B-IEDS.
  • Letter grades
  • Minimum requirements for entrance to higher education in Norway (generell studiekompetanse)