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Global Environmental Politics (POLS30022)
Undergraduate level 3Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Semester 2
Overview
Availability | Semester 2 |
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Fees | Look up fees |
This subject provides a comprehensive and critical introduction to global environmental politics. It introduces the ethical, political and institutional challenges raised by the global environmental crisis and the key policy and institutional responses. The subject critically explores the environmental treaty system, the role of the United Nations, and the complex relationship between global environmental and economic governance. The role of key non-state actors will also be examined, including the diverse and often competing claims of the modern environment movement and its critics and the changing practices of corporations. Key global debates about sustainable development, environmental justice and ecological security will be explored through a range of topics and case studies, including the idea of the 'ecological footprint' and the problem of over-consumption, the global politics of climate change, the relationship between trade and environment, the precautionary principle and the politics of risk. Questions of gender and ethnicity are explicitly addressed in the syllabus.
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of this subject students should:
- Understand and critically compare the competing frameworks for understanding global environmental politics within mainstream international relations theory and the more critical field of global political ecology;
- demonstrate a broad understanding of the diverse ideological character and claims of the modern environment movement and the major lines of political contestation in the broader global environmental debate;
- recognise the major environment and development tensions and debates within the national, international and global communities, particularly the sustainable development debate and the tensions between environmental and economic global governance;
- be able to identify the different ways in which new environmental issues, actors, interests and agendas have challenged the basic norms and institutions of global governance, particularly the system of sovereign states, environmental multilateralism, and the norms and institutions of global economic governance;
- be able to evaluate critically the different global institutional responses to global ecological problems;
- Communicate effectively in oral and written formats.
Last updated: 27 April 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Recommended background knowledge
Politics and International Studies at Levels 1 & 2
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 27 April 2024
Assessment
Additional details
- An essay of 3000 words (75%) due in the week prior to the non-teaching break.
- A 1-hour take-home exam (25%) due during the examination period.
- Hurdle requirement: Students must attend a minimum of 75% of tutorials in order to pass this subject. All pieces of written work must be submitted to pass this subject. Regular participation in tutorials is required.
- Note: Assessment submitted late without an approved extension will be penalised at 10 marks per working day. In-class tasks missed without approval will not be marked.
Last updated: 27 April 2024
Dates & times
- Semester 2
Principal coordinator Robyn Eckersley Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 30 contact hours per semester. 2 x one hour lectures and 1 x one hour tutorial per week for 10 weeks. The lecture and tutorial programs are staggered and cover the 12 weeks of semester. Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 24 July 2017 to 22 October 2017 Last self-enrol date 4 August 2017 Census date 31 August 2017 Last date to withdraw without fail 22 September 2017 Assessment period ends 17 November 2017 Semester 2 contact information
Time commitment details
Total of 170 hours
Last updated: 27 April 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Readings will be provided online through the subject's LMS site prior to the commencement of semester.
- Subject notes
Available as a Breadth subject to non-Bachelor of Arts students
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Course U21 Diploma in Global Issues Major Politics and International Studies Informal specialisation Graduate Diploma in Arts - Politics and International Studies Informal specialisation Graduate Certificate in Arts - Politics and International Studies Breadth Track Politics and International Studies - Breadth options
This subject is available as breadth in the following courses:
- Links to additional information
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Last updated: 27 April 2024