In recent years, climate change has become increasingly recognized as the greatest challenge of our time. Concurrently, we have witnessed ever growing climate change movements (CCMs) that are demanding stronger climate action around the globe, as well as raising other environmental issues like biodiversity. They present some of the most important political phenomena today, but are equally based in long traditions of environmental and social justice campaigning. The main aim of this course is to make sense of current environmental and climate change movements, their background, and their significance. At the same time, we will use these movements as a lens to understand the politics of climate change and social movements more generally. Specifically, this course will pursue the following objectives:
1. To understand the main (political) ideas driving environmental and climate activism
2. To understand the main features, forms, developments and challenges of environmental and climate activism
3. To understand their impact and relevance in sustainability politics today
4. To introduce an understanding of social movements as key drivers of social change
By addressing these objectives, students will get a thorough understanding of climate and environmental activism, its origins, pathways, and diversity, as well as its relevance for sustainability politics more generally. We will use an interdisciplinary approach that draws on research and theories of social movement studies and environmental politics from several of the social sciences. The empirical focus will be on Europe, but links with other continents and global politics will be made.
Learning Outcomes:
In addition to the outcomes relating directly to the content of the course that are outlined above, there are several more general learning outcomes that will be pursued:
1. Developing a critical understanding of environmental and climate politics: why are they political to begin with?
2. Develop an understanding of the methodological and theoretical challenges of attributing political outcomes to specific actors: can we identify who drives or obstructs certain sustainability transitions, and to what degree?
3. Develop an ability to develop and communicate clearly (in both written and spoken form) original, critical and constructive analyses or environmental and climate policy and politics.
Joost DE MOOR
Séminaire
English
Students are expected to read assigned readings before the course, two or three per session. This will improve the quality of class discussion. Additional readings are given as an opportunity to delve deeper into selected topics. While these additional readings are not mandatory, it is expected that students will show a creative curiosity (see reference list below). Below is furthermore a list of useful handbooks that students are recommended to consult when additional introduction to certain topics is needed. In particular, for introductions to general topics of environmental politics, Neil Carter's The Politics of the Environment (3rd edition) is recommended.
Students should also be aware of current political and economic events through newspapers, magazines and journals. A recommended overview of relevant news in the Carbon Brief Daily newsletter (subscribe for free daily updates).
Spring 2023-2024
This course draws on “contrôle continu” (no final exam). Please be aware that it is mandatory for students to submit all their assignments in English.
The course grades consist of:
1) Class participation, including presentations, 20% of final grade.
2) Mid-term paper (group work, 3 students max.) : a scientifically informed strategic recommendation for a chosen campaign and organization, 40% of final grade.
The paper must include:
1) a description of the organization and the campaign (existing in real life);
2) a recommended and motivated position and framing on the topic of the selected campaign (drawing on the literature and discussions of PART I on ideas);and
3) strategic advice on how best to campaign on this topic, taking into account the type of organization you are looking at, the topic, the political context, drawing on readings from PART II. ~3.000 words incl. references.
3)A final paper (individual) 40% final grade: An analytical paper about one or several of the dimensions of activism covered in Part II and or III of the course. The topic & the case selection are to be submitted for approval. about 3.000 words incl. references.
Carter, N. (2018). The politics of the environment: Ideas, activism, policy. Cambridge University Press.