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PAIS565 Politics and the Environment

Credit Points 6
Offering
Responsible Campus Teaching Period Mode of Study Online Level
Armidale Semester 2 Off Campus C - Internet access required
Armidale Semester 2 On Campus C - Internet access required
Intensive School(s) None
Supervised Exam There is no UNE Supervised Examination.
Pre-requisites candidature in a postgraduate award
Co-requisites None
Restrictions PAIS365 or PAIS465
Notes

offered in even numbered years
Combined Units PAIS365 - Politics and the Environment
Coordinator(s) Anthony Lynch (alynch@une.edu.au)
Unit Description

This is a unit in environmental politics. It divides into three parts. Part 1 explores the connection between politics and environmental resources (dependency, scarcity and plenty). Part 2 looks at how these general connections have manifested themselves in particular political forms, paying special attention to the formative role of technology and economics in this process. Part 3 looks at politics and the environment today. It considers the major issues - resource security, climate change, population growth - and the capacity of contemporary politics in its neo-liberal and neo-conservative forms to generate adequate responses to such challenges.
Materials No text required
Disclaimer Unit information may be subject to change prior to commencement of the teaching period.
Assessment
Title Exam Length Weight Mode No. Words
Assignment 1 50% 3500
Assessment Notes
Essay
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 1-6 GA: 1,2,4,5,6
Assignment 2 50% 3500
Assessment Notes
Essay
Relates to Learning Outcomes (LO) and Graduate Attributes (GA)
LO: 1-6 GA: 1,2,4,5,6

Learning Outcomes (LO) Upon completion of this unit, students will be able to:
  1. show an appreciation of the importance and complexity of the relationships between environmental resources and the conditions of political existence;
  2. exhibit a historically informed view of the way that different societies, at different times and under differing technological and economic regimes, have dealt with (or have failed to have dealt with) their necessities on environmental security;
  3. have an understanding of the political challenges the environment confronts us with today;
  4. exhibit a critical awareness of the kinds of responses to such challenges likely to emerge under neo-liberal and neo-conservative political regimes;
  5. present coherent well-argued responses to these controversial issues in an essay format;
  6. develop postgraduate level research and analytical skills;

Graduate Attributes (GA)
Attribute Taught Assessed Practised
1 Knowledge of a Discipline
Students will deepen their knowledge of advanced concepts and skills underpinning the political and international studies discipline, which will be taught through lectures and tutorials. It will be assessed through two written essays. 		True True
2 Communication Skills
Students will be assessed on the style of writing, clarity of writing, expression and development of ideas, and referencing. Students will practice their communication skills through completing the assessment tasks (written through essays). 		True True
3 Global Perspectives
Students will demonstrate an awareness of the global context of the subject area and they will develop an awareness of the need for tolerance and inter-cultural understanding. 		True True
4 Information Literacy
Students are encouraged to develop research skills in collecting and evaluating data, including the skills to assess the utility of information, identify the most useful sources of information and critically analyse and examine those sources. 		True True
5 Life-Long Learning
Through completing the assessments, students will be provided with the necessary lifelong skills to be able to research, write and discuss social issues. These skills can be transferred to any discipline, and will be useful in any research positions. These attributes will be assessed in all of the assessments (written skills; analytical skills). 		True True
6 Problem Solving
Students will be assessed on their ability to conceptualise the essay question and formulate a range of solutions to both research and presentation. Collect, collate and analyse relevant information to assist problem solving (practice). 		True True
7 Social Responsibility
Students will be taught about their professional responsibilities as a researcher to provide balanced and accurate research. In addition, students will be taught that they have a social responsibility to question and challenge some 'facts'. This will be assessed and taught through their responses to the assignment questions and discussions in online postings. 		True True
8 Team Work
Students will practice working collaboratively and network effectively to solve problems on the discussion board (Blackboard) taking initiative and leading others in this environment. They will also negotiate and assert their own values and respect the values and contributions of others on the discussion board and in their own essays. 		True
   

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