| Unit name | The Politics of (Un)sustainability |
|---|---|
| Unit code | POLIM0028 |
| Credit points | 20 |
| Level of study | M/7 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1 (weeks 1 - 12) |
| Unit director | Dr. Richter |
| 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 of Sociology, Politics and International Studies |
| Faculty | Faculty of Social Sciences and Law |
Why is this unit important? [150 words]
This unit introduces students to the ‘politics of (un)sustainability’ through critical evaluation of the gradual emergence of sustainability politics and practice over the last 50 years. We will consider the nature and extent of the ecological crisis and its implications for long-term human and non-human flourishing, and critically assess the relationship between accumulation, technology and (un)sustainability. Students will evaluate and critique key environmental politics concepts from a range of green theoretical and philosophical perspectives that emphasise the intersections of global environmental degradation, social inequality, political participation, and economic development/growth. The unit will consider the global and historical dimensions of (un)sustainability and critique the colonial trajectory of current decarbonisation efforts. Decolonising environmental politics is a core theme of this unit, and students will learn about inter-epistemic sustainability approaches from the Global South. The unit also works towards finding hope and political tools for living in the age of (un)sustainability.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study [100 words]
This unit builds on the introductory material covered in TB1 by interrogating the contributing factors of, and solutions to, the politics of (un)sustainability on a more advanced level. The unit provides a key link between other environmental units at postgraduate taught level, and also works as a standalone unit for students wishing to explore global environmental politics in a way that complements their taught programme in areas such as development, security, human rights, and gender.
An overview of content
This unit aims to:
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit
Students will develop an intersectional understanding of the politics of (un)sustainability that posits the climate crisis as a social and political, as opposed to a technical problem. The unit will challenge students to think through the colonial implications of dominant understandings of sustainability, and introduce them to a range of practical, socio-political tools that work towards just global sustainability transformations.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of the unit, students will be able to:
This unit employs a critical feminist pedagogy towards student learning. This means that learning activities will be geared towards questioning and challenging patterns of domination and raising consciousness of the implications of formulating questions in a particular way. Our way of learning will provide students with an in-depth understanding and recognition of the contradictions within the politics of (un)sustainability, and foreground activist projects from the Global North and South as case studies of how individuals and communities can take action and challenge power. This is important for achieving the learning outcomes as these emphasise a critical understanding of the politics of (un)sustainability and an ability to critique dominant, mainstream approaches to sustainability from a variety of critical perspectives from the Global North and South.
There are four different types of learning activities. Face-to-face seminars are tutor-hosted seminars. Asynchronous online learning consists of learning activities and self-directed study. Asynchronous reflection is another important aspect that focuses on your learning and engagement with the unit. Asynchronous reading is essential for the completion of this unit and covers essential, recommended or further reading. The activities in face-to-face seminars are student-centred and interactive, and can range from inquiry-based activities to reflective sessions. Asynchronous online learning activities can take a variety of shapes to ensure student engagement. These could be listening to podcasts, online debates and videos, filling out online maps, answering opining polls or questions around a piece of writing, or otherwise engaging with the weekly topic in a creative way. Each week, the reading and learning activity will be complemented by questions for reflection, which will assist in focusing student learning and engagement by inviting active student reflection on the weekly content. Finally, the reading is divided into essential, recommended and further reading. Each week’s essential reading will directly feed into seminar discussions and learning outcomes, while recommended and further reading should be used for self-directed study.
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
750 word essay plan.
Students will be given a template in a table format that will help them structure the final essay. Students will map out the key sections of their essay ensuring that they flow logically from one to another and identify a proportion of the word count to allocate for each section.
Feedback will be given verbally via Turnitin. Office hour slots will be available to answer student questions about the feedback.
During seminars, students will develop speaking and listening skills via small group work and big group discussions. We will also practice research skills in class. These are important exercises that hone critical anlaysis and evaluation skills, which will be required for the summative assignments.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
There are two summative assignments to this unit.
750 word critical journal article review (25%) [ILO: 1, 4]
Students will be able to choose between three academic papers to review. The unit owner will provide the list of three papers. The review should present the article’s key arguments in a concise manner and discuss their implications for the politics of (un)sustainability. The aim of this assignment is to test and develop critical analysis and writing skills in preparation for the final assessment.
3,500 word essay (75%) [ILO: 2, 3, 4]
Students will answer a set essay question, and should consider the unit aims and learning outcomes in their answer. The final essay will assess students’ ability to undertake independent research and to critically analyse the core issues around the politics of (un)sustainability covered in this unit.
When assessment does not go to plan
You will normally complete reassessments in the same formats as those outlined above. Students are expected to select a different essay question from the original list.
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. POLIM0028).
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.
