| Unit name | Environmental policy and social justice |
|---|---|
| Unit code | SPOLM0041 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 2 (weeks 13 - 24) |
| Unit director | Professor. Okereke |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
None |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
None |
| School/department | School for Policy Studies |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
Why is this unit important?
Environmental issues such as climate change, energy transition, biodiversity conservation and waste management are some of the most important public policy issues in the world today. This unit examines the intersection of environmental issues, social justice, and public policy. It responds to a growing acceptance among governments and the general public of the need for more environmentally harmonious societies and the failure of traditional development paths and policy approaches to meet a number of global sustainable development goals. The unit recognises that many of the challenges posed by environmental risks relate to inequalities within societies and between the global North and South. Therefore, it focuses on multiple scales from the very local to the global.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study
This is one of the optional units for the MPP programme. This unit will help you to integrate thinking about social and environmental issues by exploring foundational concepts, values and perspectives as well as implications for policy. It explores topics such as the particular characteristics of environmental issues that face policy-makers in making environmental policy. It also explores ethical issues relating to environmental sustainability and social well-being from a global perspective; social and environmental injustice; citizenship and human need. It, therefore, combines both ‘social policy’ and ‘public policy’ approaches to the environment.
An overview of content
The unit explores the intersection of environmental issues, social justice, and public policy. It examines environmental challenges through the lenses of social policy, public policy, and justice, with a focus on inequalities related to race, class, and poverty. The unit aims to equip you with the ability to critically assess environmental policies and propose solutions that prioritize social equity
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
The unit will increase your knowledge of key environmental governance concepts and equip you with a comprehensive understanding of how environmental issues intersect with social justice and public policy, particularly focusing on inequality, race, and class in relation to environmental challenges. You will learn about the global North-South divide, environmental goods, and the theoretical perspectives on social and environmental justice. By studying contrasting approaches (e.g. degrowth and green growth), you develop a nuanced understanding of the trade-offs in addressing environmental crises, fostering a more reflective and analytical mindset. By the end of the course, you will gain the ability to critically assess environmental policies and propose solutions informed by social justice considerations. This could be applied in roles such as policy-making, advocacy, or research, equipping you with practical tools to influence real-world environmental and social justice outcomes.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
You will learn through attendance and participation in lectures and seminar classes. The seminars will provide opportunities for interaction, discussion, and reflection on the topics covered during the lectures. You will undertake independent reading and to consider how you can apply your learning to real world.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
You will be supported in the summative assessment by a formative element consisting of a group presentation and structured class discussions and debates. These will take place during lectures and seminars.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Essay (3000 words maximum, 100%). The assessment addresses all learning outcomes
When assessment does not go to plan
Subject to the university regulations for taught programmes, you may be offered an opportunity for reassessment. If you are eligible to resubmit and where appropriate, you may submit a revised version of your previous assignment or complete an alternative assessment in the same format as the original assessment.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. SPOLM0041).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The assessment methods listed in this unit specification are designed to enable students to demonstrate the named learning outcomes (LOs). Where a disability prevents a student from undertaking a specific method of assessment, schools will make reasonable adjustments to support a student to demonstrate the LO by an alternative method or with additional resources.
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
