ANTH2377: Sustainability and the Environment

• Health, Illness, and Society (ANTH1041) OR People & Cultures (ANTH1061) OR Human Evolution and Diversity (ANTH1091)

• None.

• None.

• To introduce students to the field of sustainability and to a range of recent approaches to sustainability from the social sciences
• To develop an understanding of how diverse knowledge of the environment shape different approaches to socio-environmental change
• To apply a critical social science approach to empirical case-studies of global challenges in the Anthropocene such as energy practices, pollution, food security, resource extraction and water scarcity

• Introduction to the rise of sustainability in development, policy and business environments, including the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
• Introduction to a range of approaches to sustainability and environmental knowledge from the social sciences
• Introduction to key topics in environmental anthropology, which may include: sustainable livelihoods; sustainable transitions; environmental justice; health impacts of climate change; resilience and climate adaptation; prosperity and post-growth; resource making and extractivism; pollution and toxicity.
• Critical examination of key SDGs through empirical ethnographic examples. These may include: affordable and clean energy (SDG7); responsible consumption and production (SDG12); climate action (SDG13); good health and wellbeing (SDG3)
• Critical examination of the relationship between economic growth and sustainability, and exploration of various post-growth alternatives
• Critical assessment of different models and metrics of sustainability
• Comparing and contrasting theories of change, such as ecological modernisation, circular economy, degrowth, geo-engineering, green economy, degrowth, critical studies of the commons, deep ecology, ecofeminism, ecosocialism, environmental justice, nature rights, CSR

Subject-specific Knowledge:

• By the end of the course, students will have gained:
• Knowledge of the history of sustainability, the SDGs, different concepts of sustainability and anthropological and social science approaches to studying sustainability
• Knowledge of key topics in sustainability research including energy use, climate change, pollution, resource scarcity
• Knowledge of the contributions and limitations of different theories of socio-environmental change

Subject-specific Skills:

• Critical evaluation of theories, concepts, and models of sustainability
• Ability to apply sustainability theories to empirical case-studies and relate these to the SDGs

Key Skills:

• Analytical and creative thinking: capacity to apply critical social science theory, methodology and knowledge to a range of empirical case-studies; and to interpret primary and secondary data through seminar readings, discussions, assessments
• Problem-solving skills: capacity to think about the framing and solutions to global challenges of sustainability, through seminar discussions and readings
• Independent research and literature review: through summative assessment
• Oral and verbal communication skills: through seminar discussions or presentations
• Presentation skills: through seminar discussions, formative assessment
• Teamwork: through small group work exercises and seminar discussions

• Modes of teaching and learning include lectures, seminars, reading and discussion, group work
• Teaching and learning materials will include anthropological and other social sciences literature, academic and non-academic publications, including books, articles, online resources, policy reports, official papers, visual and audio media (films, photographs, podcasts).
• Seminars will explore lecture material in greater depth through group discussion and analysis of the case-studies. Seminar discussions will deepen understanding and critical reflection on the material seen in the lecture through reading preparation, and prepare students for their summative assignment
• Student preparation and reading time will allow informed engagement with the material in advance of tutorials and lectures, and are essential to attend lectures/seminars and to prepare students for the written assignment.

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