OADD 2320 - Mining Extractivism, Green Frontier and Sustainability

Extractivism is a driving force of capitalist development. Mining has always been one its feature, and it is now becoming central to capitalist adaptation to climate change by the energy transition (electrification). Then, mining extractivism is now entangled with climate politics and sustainability narratives. This class will present and question this nexus from social sciences perspective (methodological tools and concepts). We will address the topic by (1) a review of current issues and regulations on “sustainable mining” and (2) traditional extractivist and mining issues (as enclaves dynamics, environmental ontology, environmental justice, mining violences, resource nationalism, etc), relying mining related case studies. This way, this class will also depict a wide picture of mining-sustainability industry and politics. Learning Outcomes:

1. Knowledge acquired on mining processes and critical minerals and metals
2. Knowledge acquired on industrial policies on mining activities and sustainability
3. Knowledge acquired on European policies and regulations regarding mining and sustainability
4. Skills developed in case study research (delineation of a topic, targeting of sources, elaboration of research questions, synthetization and presentation of findings)
5. Skills developed in social science research (methodology, conceptualization)

Professional Skills:
1-Methodological and analytical skills: delineation of a topic, targeting of sources, redaction of a policy brief and a public presentation
2-Knowledge of international regulations and policies on the mining sector
3-Knowledge of international industrial policies and certification on the mining sector
4-Knowledge of international policies and certification on mining sustainability
5-Knowledge of the current dynamics regarding mining, sustainability and energy transition
6-Knowledge of the main organizations leading mining activities

Pia BAILLEUL

Séminaire

English

Attendance: 2 hours a week / 24 hours a semester
Reading and Preparation for Class: 3 hours a week / 36 hours a semester
Research and Preparation for Group Work (one time): 10 hours a semester
Research and Writing for Individual Assessments: 15 hours a semester

Capacity to conduct a research in autonomy (find sources, write a policy brief..) Capacity to present findings to the class Knowledge on environmental justice OR energy issues OR classic social sciences concepts

Spring 2024-2025

- Oral participation (10%): participate to the collective discussion at the beginning of the class on the mandatory articles to read, engage with the students who present their case studies, engage with the lecture-time in class
- Group presentation (40%): present a case study on a topic related to the session. 45mn ppt presentation of a mining case with pertinent conceptual, social and political questions and findings, then animation of a Q&A with the class (methodology will be given in class and teacher can during the research phase). Individual notation for each member of the group.
- Individual final paper (50%): write a policy brief OR a dissertation on a topic chosen by the student and related to the class. Topic can be inspired by the group presentation but has to go further in conceptualization or findings. Methodology and format will be given in class.

Feedback on group presentations will be provided on 2 time-slots outside class (one in middle semester and the other at the end). Feedback on final paper will be given by individual meeting or email on demand, and on the SciencesPo website dedicated to evaluation.