EV1004:03
Foundations of Environmental Studies
| Townsville | HECS Band 2 |
26 hours lectures, 26 hours tutorials. Semester 1.
Staff: Dr A Cottrell.
This subject will provide an introduction to the variety of intellectual foundations of modern environmental studies which especially draw form the arts, humanities, geography and social sciences areas. The subject will provide an inter and multi-disciplinary framework for examining the natural environment from many different perspectives; environmentalism and its many different facets from classical history to deep ecology and ecofeminism (philosophy, women’s studies, history, geography); cultural assumptions, meanings and values with respect to the environment and human/’natural’ environment interconnections (psychology, sociology, anthropology and cultural studies); the role of cultural assumptions and environmental values in decision making (politics, history, planning); an introduction to the natural history foundations of environmental studies (geography, philosophy, biology) and an introduction to the roles of science and the media in environmental issues.
Learning Objectives:
- to provide an opportunity for students to gain appreciation of the many arts disciplines with a tradition and interest in environmental studies;
- to provide a balanced and comprehensive introduction to the intellectual foundations of environmental studies from within the disciplines of arts, social science and science;
- to link Australian perspectives on the environment to a diverse range of cultural traditions and roots;
- to provide an opportunity to understand more fully the complexity of environmental issues;
- understand the process of writing at university level.
Assessment by examination (40%); essays (40%); portfolio (20%).