Political Ecology: Critical Perspectives on Environmental Governance

Postgraduate course

Course description

Objectives and Content

How do inequalities of power and wealth influence both the drivers and consequences of environmental change processes? Why do perceptions of historical injustice appear to continuously impinge upon contemporary dynamics of environmental governance? Who decides how we should pursue sustainability or sustainable development in the twenty-first century, and why are these proposals so often contested from both 'above' and 'below'?

These and related questions have long been a source of reflection in the interdisciplinary field of study known as political ecology. In its earliest forms, the field originated within anthropology, human geography, and critical development studies in the late 1970s, but has today fully emerged as core subfield in the discipline of geography. Though theoretically and methodologically diverse in their individual approaches, political ecologists generally explore the often-divergent interests, aims, norms and narratives of diverse actors in environmental governance, leading us to both a critical and a nuanced understanding of how power relations shape - and are shaped by - encounters between 'local' communities, global environmental discourses, and sustainable development institutions operating across multiple scales.

The primary aim of this course is to strengthen and expand students' understanding of environmental governance issues and their implications for local development challenges. To do so, we critically engage both longstanding and emerging theoretical, conceptual, and methodological debates concerning sustainable development and environmental governance in political ecology. Students will cultivate an in-depth understanding of important themes within these debates, further empowering them to independently assess and utilize key theories and concepts relevant for their respective Master thesis projects.

Lecture and discussion topics in GEO 337 vary from year to year, but in general the course will conduct a 'survey' of key themes in environmental governance from a political ecology perspective. These themes include: fortress conservation, 'community' conservation, and their critique; global climate change and its mitigation via afforestation and reforestation; pastoralism, land use, and land degradation; fisheries management; environmental displacement and (forced) migration; property rights, tenure, and land reform; and the sustainability implications of urbanization processes.

Learning Outcomes

On completion of the course, the student should have achieved the following learning outcomes in terms of knowledge, skills and general competence:

Knowledge

The student

  • demonstrates an advanced understanding of theoretical, conceptual, and methodological debates concerning sustainable development and environmental governance in the field of political ecology.

Skills

The student

  • independently assesses and utilizes relevant political-ecological theories and concepts.
  • critically evaluates narratives or explanations of environmental issues in relation to multiple perspectives and data sources.
  • demonstrates enhanced capacity to formulate scholarly arguments in academic writing and support these with relevant literature, data, or other evidence.

General knowledge

The student

  • identifies and critically analyses multiple discourses and narratives related to sustainable development.
  • independently assesses the reliability or validity of various discourses, narratives, and forms of evidence.
  • evaluates the relative strengths and limitations of distinct approaches or understandings of environmental and development problems.
  • robustly substantiates individual perspectives or claims with reference to reliable data, evidence, or supporting argumentation.

ECTS Credits

10 ECTS

Level of Study

Master

Semester of Instruction

Spring
Required Previous Knowledge
Bachelor in Geography, Development Studies, or equivalent.
Recommended Previous Knowledge
None
Credit Reduction due to Course Overlap
  • GEO335 (5 ECTS)
  • GEO336 (5 ECTS)
Access to the Course
Master's Programme in Geographies of Sustainable Development (MASV-MEHA) or Master's Programme in Geography (MASV-GEOG), students from other relevant master's programmes at UiB and incoming exchange students with relevant background. Interested students from other programmes and exchange students are welcome to contact the Department of Geography (Studieveileder.geog@uib.no).
Teaching and learning methods
The course is divided into two parts. Part I consists of seven double-hour lectures examining key themes and debates in environmental governance from a political ecology perspective. Part II consists of a series of student seminars.
Compulsory Assignments and Attendance
Mandatory seminar presentation
Forms of Assessment
  • Essay (40% of the total grade)
  • Term paper (60% of the total grade)

All parts of assessment must be passed in the same semester. Grades for each part of assessment and the final grade will be published in Studentweb.

The exam will be given in the language in which the course is taught.

The exam can be submitted in English, Norwegian, Swedish or Danish

Grading Scale
Grading A-F
Assessment Semester

Assessment in teaching semester.

Retake exam:

Essay:

Students with valid absence as defined in the UiB regulations § 5-5 can apply for an extended submission deadline to studieveileder.geog@uib.no. The application must be submitted before the deadline for submission has expired.

Term paper: 

Students with valid absence as defined in the UiB regulations § 5-5 can apply for an extended submission deadline to studieveileder.geog@uib.no. The application must be submitted before the deadline for submission has expired.

Reading List
The reading list will be ready before 1 July for the autumn semester and 1 Decemeber for the spring semester.
Course Evaluation
All courses are evaluated according to UiB's system for quality assurance of education.
Examination Support Material
None
Programme Committee
The Programme Committee is responsible for the content, structure and quality of the study programme and courses. 
Course Administrator
The Department of Geography at the Faculty of Social Sciences has the administrative responsibility for the course and the study programme.