Political ecology

Content

Objective

This course examines the relationship between society and the environment from critical and Marxist perspectives. It explores how power, politics, and ideology shape the ways in which people interact with nature and how these interactions affect both social and ecological systems. The course also focuses on the unequal distribution of environmental risks and benefits, the role of the state, and social movements in environmental governance.

Course Content

Overall, the course aims to provide students with a critical understanding of the relationship between society and the environment, and to equip them with the knowledge and skills to engage in environmental politics and advocacy from a critical and Marxist perspective.

Course Learning Outcomes

• To understand the basic concepts and theories of political ecology, including the relationships between society, politics, power, and the environment.
• To analyze environmental issues and conflicts from critical and Marxist perspectives, including their historical and social contexts.
• To critically examine the unequal distribution of environmental risks and benefits based on race, class, and gender.
• To explore the role of the state, corporate power, and social movements in environmental governance and justice.
• To analyze the connections between global capitalism, imperialism, and environmental degradation.
• To develop critical thinking and analytical skills through reading, writing, and discussion.
• To understand the relevance and application of political ecology to contemporary environmental issues, policies, and practices.

Teaching and Learning Methods

Although the course includes regular lectures by the instructor in each session, it is mainly based on in-class discussions. The format of the course is designed to allow for instructor-student interaction and students will be encouraged to participate in discussions. Students will be required to do readings before each class, the list of which will be announced for each session.
A certain proficiency in French and English is required. Students should be able to read and understand scientific articles in English, as most of the literature on this subject is in English.

References

Ernstson, H., & Swyngedouw, E. (Eds.). (2018). Urban political ecology in the anthropo-obscene: Interruptions and possibilities, NY, Routledge.

Foster, J. B. (1999). Marx's theory of metabolic rift: Classical foundations for environmental sociology. American journal of sociology, 105(2), 366-405.

Haraway, D. (2015). Anthropocene, capitalocene, plantationocene, chthulucene: Making kin. Environmental humanities, 6(1), 159-165.

Martínez-Alier, J. (2012). Environmental justice and economic degrowth: an alliance between two movements. Capitalism Nature Socialism, 23(1), 51-73.

Moore, J. (2015). Capitalism in the Web of Life: Ecology and the Accumulation of Capital. Londres, Verso Books.

Roberts, J. T., & Parks, B. (2006). A climate of injustice: Global inequality, north-south politics, and climate policy. MIT press.

Swyngedouw, E. (2011). Whose environment?: the end of nature, climate change and the process of post-politicization. Ambiente & sociedade, 14, 69-87.

Tilzey, M. (2018). Political ecology, food regimes, and food sovereignty: Crisis, resistance, and resilience. Cham, Palgrave.

Watts, M. J. (2015). The origins of political ecology and the rebirth of adaptation as a form of thought. In T. A. Perreault, G. Bridge, & J. McCarthy (Ed.), The Routledge handbook of political ecology (ss. 19-50). London?; New York, NY: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group.

Zimmerer, K. S., & Bassett, T. J. (Eds.). (2003). Political ecology: an integrative approach to geography and environment-development studies. Londres – NY, Guilford Press.

Weekly Contents

Assessment System

Relation of Proficiency

ECTS