Spaces still available in this term 2 seminar, open to graduate students and advanced undergraduates. Please feel free to email L. Harris directly with any questions about the course.

lharris@ires.ubc.ca

T2, Winter 2014, Tuesdays, 2-5 pm, 107 AERL, 2202 Main Mall

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course will investigate the international, and justice, dimensions of a number of environmental issues, with particular attention to the intersection of environmental and developmental concerns.  Focus will also include attention to international institutions, such as the International Financial Institutions, and how such institutions deal with, or contribute to, environmental and developmental justice considerations.  We will also pay particular attention to political economic dimensions of these issues, including histories of colonialism, development, and theories and terms of trade. Students work on a research and/or writing project that investigates a topic of interest, or evaluates a recent monograph or set of films that relate to course themes.

The course has several objectives. It will introduce you to debates in the fields of ‘development’ , ‘political ecology’ and ‘environmental justice.’ It will also expose you to a number of key events and debates critical for understanding international dimensions of environmental justice in the contemporary era.  Further, it will challenge you to develop critical perspectives on environment and development, in addition to gaining familiarity with some of the key concepts, institutions, and processes related to these issues.  Together, we will engage these debates to examine in detail a number of case studies, through readings, mini-lectures, and research activities