This module provides a foundation in environmental human geography. It encourages critical reflection on the relationship between humans and ‘nature’ as well as the tensions inherent in the various social relations and interests that underlie engagement with the environment.
This critical perspective is extended to problematize prominent principles (such as sustainable development, ecosystem services and resilience) and to examine them in relation to environmental policy and management practices from national and international case studies. In sum, the module demonstrates the value of a theoretically grounded social scientific approach for understanding and implementing contemporary approaches to managing human interaction with the environment.
By the end of the module students should be able to:
- Articulate, problematize and critique key concepts framing environmental management
- Apply different theoretical understandings of human-environment relations to analyse and interpret contemporary approaches to environmental governance
- Identify key factors and concerns in the public understanding of environmental issues
- Appreciate the relevance of social, cultural and political dimensions in evaluating approaches to environmental governance and engagement.
Assessment
- Assignment 1 : Coursework (50%)
- Assignment 2 : Coursework (50%)