Society and environment
The course "Man, society and nature" is a part of the joint master programme "Sustainable development" between Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Uppsala University. Its main objective is to present different social science perspectives on management of sustainable development. That is, how do social science disciplines approach and conceptualise sustainable development, and which strategies for promoting sustainable development are suggested? The course covers different disciplines such as law, economics, political science, business administration, psychology, and philosophy, which are discussed and applied to a number of different environmental and sustainability issues of concern in various parts of the world.
The time frame for this course is decided in an overall programme plan, and may change from year to year. If you are not an attendee of this programme, but still want to take the course, please contact the course leader for up to date information.
Information from the course leader
Literature list for the upcoming course 20/21 is available here!
1 Literature list MX0127 Society & Environment 2020-21 (version 1) Core material for the course (Students are strongly advised to read and be familiar with this material as it provides the foundation for your case study and essay examinations.) Systems and Resilience Thinking For Sustainable Development – Week 1-3. 1. Meadows, D. (2008) Thinking in systems. A primer. Earthscan (also as pdf) 2. Walker B & Salt D (2006) Resilience Thinking: Sustaining Ecosystems and People in a Changing World. Island Press. (Buy, steal or borrow; also available as e-book) 3. Holling CS (2001) Understanding the Complexity of Economic, Ecological, and Social Systems. Ecosystems 4: 390–405 (pdf) 4. Fath B et al (2015) Navigating the adaptive cycle: an approach to managing the resilience of social systems. Ecology and Society 20(2): 24. (pdf) 5. Berkes F & Ross H (2016) Panarchy and community resilience: sustainability science and policy implications. Environmental Science and policy 61: 185-193 6. Silverman, H. Systems Literacy: A Toolkit for Purposeful Change. Chapter 7 in The Community Resilience Reader https://reader.resilience.org/chapter-7/ Systemic Intervention and Change – Week 1-3 7. Biggs R et al (2012) Toward Principles for Enhancing the Resilience of Ecosystem Services. Annu. Rev. Environ. Resour. 37:421–48. (pdf) 8. Nemec, K. T., et al. (2013) Assessing resilience in stressed watersheds. Ecology and Society 19(1): 34. http://dx.doi.org/10.5751/ES-06156-190134 (pdf) 9. Walker, B.H. et al. (2009) Resilience, adaptability, and transformability in the Goulburn-Broken Catchment, Australia. Ecology and Society, 14(1). (pdf) 10. SRC. The wayfinder guide. On line: https://wayfinder.earth 11. Bennet et al., 2016. Bright spots: seeds of a good Anthropocene Front Ecol Environ 2016; 14(8): 441–448, doi:10.1002/fee.1309 12. Otto et al 2020. Social tipping dynamics for stabilizing Earth’s climate by 2050. PNAS 117 (5) 13. Blythe J et al (2018) The Dark Side of Transformation: Latent Risks in Contemporary Sustainability Discourse. Antipode 50: 1206-1223 (pdf) 14. Brand U & Wissen M (2018) What kind of transformation? The Imperial Mode of Living as a Major Obstacle to Sustainability Politics. GAIA 27:287-292 (pdf) Scenario Planning – Week 3 15. Petersen et al (2003) Scenario planning a tool for conservation in an uncertain world. Conservation Biology 17(2): 358-66 16. Biggs et al (2010) Preparing for the future: teaching scenario planning at the graduate level. Frontiers Ecol Environ 8(5): 267–273. Governance, land use and sustainability – Week 3 17. Armitage, D.R. et al. (2009) Adaptive co-management for social–ecological complexity. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 7, 95–102. 18. Schultz et al 2015. Adaptive governance, ecosystem management, and natural capital. www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.1406493112 PNAS 19. DeCaro et al. (2017) Legal and institutional foundations of adaptive environmental governance. Ecology and Society 22(1):32 20. Naylor R et al. (2005) Losing the Links Between Livestock and Land. Science 310: 1621-22. 2 21. Hoekstra A.Y. and Wiedmann T (2014) Humanity’s unsustainable environmental footprint. Science 344: 1114-17 Seminar Land Use and Ecosystem Services Week 47 22. Weinzettel J et al (2013) Affluence drives the global displacement of land use, Global Environmental Change 23, 433–438 23. Wiedmann T et al (2015) The material footprint of nations. PNAS 112: 6271-76 Economics – Week 4 24. Hahn, T (2014). Green Economy, economic growth and sustainable development. pp. 338-357 in Palmer, H. (ed.), Access to Resources: an urban agenda. AADR Art Architecture Design Research. ISBN 978-3-88778-419-5. (pdf) 25. Vadena et al 2019. Decoupling for ecological sustainability: A categorisation and review of research literature. Environmental Science and Policy. https://doi.org/10.1016/ 26. Hickel & Kallis 2019. Is Green Growth Possible? New Political Economy 27. Daly, H. (2015) Economics for a full world. A Great Transition Initiative Essay. https://greattransition.org/publication/economics-for-a-full-world (pdf) 28. Daly (2019) Growthism its ecological economic and ethical limits (pdf) Perspectives on economics and sustainability 29. Raworth K. (2017) Doughnut economics, Chapters 3, 5 and 6 + We are all economists now 30. Söderbaum, P. (2013) Ecological economics in relation to democracy, ideology and politics Ecological Economics 95: 221–225 31. Norgaard, R. (2015) The Church of Economism and Its Discontents. (pdf; also available at http://www.greattransition.org/publication/the-church-of-economism-and-its-discontents) 32. Hickel J (2018) The Nobel Prize for Climate Catastrophe – Foreign Policy. https://foreignpolicy.com/2018/12/06/the-nobel-prize-for-climate-catastrophe/ 33. Oswald A & Stern N. (2019) Why are economists letting down the world on climate change? https://voxeu.org/article/why-are-economists-letting-down-world-climate-change For Students who prefer watching videos to reading: Kate Raworth gives a dynamic overview of her book here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rl_uDjPpRJw Ida Kubiszewski on what is wrong with GDP and emerging alternatives here by Ida Kubiszewski https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=22&v=SbkdFrKTkbk&feature=emb_logo International Development – Week 5 34. Burns D & Worsley S (2015) Chapters 1-3 in Navigating complexity in international development. Seminar December 35. Stiglitz, J. (2017) Introduction to Globalization and its discontents revisited (pdf). 36. Vonk 2017 Reverse Robin Hood: The Historical Scam of Global Development - Los Angeles Review of Books (pdf) 3 37. McClosky The Formula for a Richer World: Equality, Liberty, Justice - The New York Times (pdf) 38. Hickel 2019. The Scandal of British Aid. https://www.jasonhickel.org/blog/2019/1/25/the-scandal-of-british-aid Depending on guest lecturers – may change! 39. Lackenbauer, H. et al. (2015) ”If our men won’t fight we will”. Report, FOI-R--4121—SE (abridged version as pdf)
Course evaluation
The course evaluation is now closed
MX0127-20168 - Course evaluation report
Once the evaluation is closed, the course coordinator and student representative have 1 month to draft their comments. The comments will be published in the evaluation report.
Additional course evaluations for MX0127
Academic year 2019/2020
Society and environment (MX0127-20050)
2019-11-07 - 2020-01-17
Academic year 2018/2019
Society and environment (MX0127-20069)
2018-11-05 - 2019-01-20
Academic year 2017/2018
Society and environment (MX0127-20010)
2017-11-06 - 2018-01-14
Syllabus and other information
Syllabus
MX0127 Society and environment, 10.0 Credits
Samhälle och miljöSubjects
Environmental ScienceEducation cycle
Master’s levelModules
| Title | Credits | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Single module | 10.0 | 0201 |
Advanced study in the main field
Second cycle, in-depth level of the course cannot be classifiedMaster’s level (AXX)
Grading scale
The grade requirements within the course grading system are set out in specific criteria. These criteria must be available by the course start at the latest.
Language
EnglishPrior knowledge
Knowledge equivalent to English B from upper secondary school.A bachelor degree, equivalent to a Swedish degree of at least 180 credits (i.e. three years of full-time study), within the natural sciences, technology, the social sciences, jurisprudence or the historical/philosophical subject areas.
Objectives
Main Objective
After completing the course students should understand the dynamic interactions between society and nature, how institutions affect the conditions for sustainable development. The students should have developed knowledge in assessing social, economic and ecological sustainability using systems and resilience thinking frameworks.
Part Objectives
After the completed course, the students are expected to demonstrate knowledge and understanding so that they can:
describe different approaches for defining, describing and explaining sustainable development in society,
critically discuss and analyze sustainability, using different social, economic and ecological perspectives within an integrative systems framework in general and in specific cases.
The students should also display their acquired knowledge to:
discuss and select appropriate approaches for analysing sustainable development
demonstrate practical application of scientific methods for analysing and evaluating actions in society with respect to resilience and sustainable development.
The students should be able to critically evaluate and relate to:
existing theories and methods for analysis when examining issues related to sustainability
management of natural resources and land use in relation to socio-economic development and conflicts
international and national activities, business and corporate enterprises in relation to sustainable development, and individual ethics and responsibilities for sustainability
Content
The course focuses on advanced knowledge on how individuals, organizations and their governing institutions can change to achieve sustainability in a world of accelerated climate change, biodiversity loss and finite resources. This implies the identification of potentials and constraints for sustainable development in different societies from a social and social-ecological perspective. Basic principles for governance for resilience and sustainability are discussed, such as human rights, democracy, poverty and inequality, economic systems, land use and international policy frameworks and conventions for sustainable development.
Approaches for describing and understanding the organization of society for achieving sustainable development will be elaborated upon, and different institutional solutions for management of environmental resources under conditions of risk, vulnerability and uncertainty will be discussed. Perspectives from different social science disciplines and approaches to sustainable development at different temporal and spatial scales will be analyzed, and criteria for successful management of human and natural resources be identified.
Treated topics include:
• Complex systems, resilience assessments and sustainability
• Economics and sustainable development
• Political science, security and climate change in relation to sustainability
• International frameworks and conventions
• Governance, land use conflict, and sustainability
• The connections and interactions between climate change, biodiversity loss and Sustainable Development Goals.
• Case studies (based on literature study)
Grading form
The grade requirements within the course grading system are set out in specific criteria. These criteria must be available by the course start at the latest.Formats and requirements for examination
Written home exam, presentation of project work, discussions and seminar participation/presentations (as above).
Passed home examination, approved project work and seminar presentations.
Active participation in seminars and participation in compulsory parts, which are discussions.
- If a student has failed an examination, the examiner has the right to issue supplementary assignments. This applies if it is possible and there are grounds to do so.
- The examiner can provide an adapted assessment to students entitled to study support for students with disabilities following a decision by the university. Examiners may also issue an adapted examination or provide an alternative way for the students to take the exam.
- If this syllabus is withdrawn, SLU may introduce transitional provisions for examining students admitted based on this syllabus and who have not yet passed the course.
- For the examination of a degree project (independent project), the examiner may also allow the student to add supplemental information after the deadline for submission. Read more in the Education Planning and Administration Handbook.
Transitional provisions
• Exams: At least three retake sessions (renewed exams) must be offered within two years of the decision to cancel the course. • Compulsory elements: At least one opportunity for a retake session must be offered within two years of the decision to cancel the course.Other information
The right to participate in teaching and/or supervision only applies for the course instance the student was admitted to and registered on.
If there are special reasons, students are entitled to participate in components with compulsory attendance when the course is given again. Read more in the Education Planning and Administration Handbook.
Responsible department
Department of Ecology
Litterature list
- 1 Meadows [1 Meadows] (https://slunik.slu.se/kursfiler/MX0127/20050.1920/1_Meadows_D_Systems_book.pdf)1) 10 Walker et al 2009 [10 Walker et al 2009] (https://slunik.slu.se/kursfiler/MX0127/20050.1920/10_Walker_et_al_ES-2008-2824.pdf)1) 11 Wayfinder [11 Wayfinder] (https://wayfinder.earth)1) 12 Sharpe et al [12 Sharpe et al] (https://slunik.slu.se/kursfiler/MX0127/20050.1920/12_Sharpe_ES-2016-8388.pdf)1) 13 Abel [13 Abel ] (https://slunik.slu.se/kursfiler/MX0127/20050.1920/13_Abel_ES-2016-8422.pdf)1) 14 Petersen et al scenario planning [14 Petersen et al scenario planning] (https://slunik.slu.se/kursfiler/MX0127/20050.1920/14_Peterson_2003_Scenario_Planning_a_Tool_for_Conservatio-2.pdf)1) 15 Biggs 2010 Teaching scenario planning [15 Biggs 2010 Teaching scenario planning] (https://slunik.slu.se/kursfiler/MX0127/20050.1920/15_Biggs_et_al_2010_Teaching-Scenario-planning.pdf)1) 16 Armitage [16 Armitage] (https://slunik.slu.se/kursfiler/MX0127/20050.1920/16_Armitage_et_al_2009_Adaptive-CoMgmt-Complexity.pdf)1) 17 DeCaro et al [17 DeCaro et al] (https://slunik.slu.se/kursfiler/MX0127/20050.1920/17_DeCaro_et_al_ES-2016-9036.pdf)1) 18 Naylor [18 Naylor] (https://slunik.slu.se/kursfiler/MX0127/20050.1920/18_Naylor_et_al_Science_2005.pdf)1) 19 Hoekstra & Weidmann [19 Hoekstra & Weidmann] (https://slunik.slu.se/kursfiler/MX0127/20050.1920/19_Hoekstra-Wiedmann-2014-EnvironmentalFootprint_1.pdf)1) 2 Ch 1 Walker & Salt [2 Ch 1 Walker & Salt] (https://slunik.slu.se/kursfiler/MX0127/20050.1920/2_Walker_o_Salt_Resilience_thinking_Ch_1_(not_whole_book).pdf)1) 3 Holling 2001 [3 Holling 2001] (https://slunik.slu.se/kursfiler/MX0127/20050.1920/3_Holling_Understanding_Complexity.pdf)1) 4 Fath [4 Fath] (https://slunik.slu.se/kursfiler/MX0127/20050.1920/4_Fath_ES-2015-7467.pdf)1) 5 Berkes & Ross [5 Berkes & Ross] (https://slunik.slu.se/kursfiler/MX0127/20050.1920/5_Berket_o_Rss_2016_ERAUQ386526-2.pdf)1) 13. Blythe et al [13. Blythe et al] (https://slunik.slu.se/kursfiler/MX0127/20050.1920/6_Blythe_et_al-2018-Antipode.pdf)1) 7 Brand & Wissen [7 Brand & Wissen] (https://slunik.slu.se/kursfiler/MX0127/20050.1920/7_Brand_o_Wissen_2018.pdf)1) 8 Biggs 2012 [8 Biggs 2012] (https://slunik.slu.se/kursfiler/MX0127/20050.1920/8_Biggs_Resilience_annurev-environ-051211-123836.pdf)1) 9 Nemec [9 Nemec] (https://slunik.slu.se/kursfiler/MX0127/20050.1920/9_Nemec_et_al_Assessing-Resilience-in-Stressed-Watersheds.pdf)