The Politics of Nature: Sustaining the British Environment 1600 to the Present
| Module title | The Politics of Nature: Sustaining the British Environment 1600 to the Present |
|---|---|
| Module code | HIC3307 |
| Academic year | 2019/0 |
| Credits | 30 |
| Module staff | Dr Timothy Cooper (Convenor) |
| Duration: Term | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duration: Weeks | 11 |
| Number students taking module (anticipated) | 30 |
|---|
Module description
In this module you will study the ways in which the idea of nature has been used ideologically to justify environmental transformations since the late eighteenth century to the present day. You will look at the contradictory effects of those transformations in terms of pollution, resource degradation etc. You will critically engage with the emergence of the themes of environment and sustainability, and the ideological implication of such terms. You will investigate the origins of environmentalism and conservation as the consequences of capitalist efforts to manage and produce nature. This module will enable you to demonstrate how useful a critical historical perspective is to understanding and addressing the roots of contemporary environmental issues.
Module aims - intentions of the module
This module investigates the history and politics of ideas of ‘nature’ as they have developed in Britain between the late eighteenth-century down to the present day. The module encourages students to engage critically with the emergence of the themes of environment and sustainability, and the ideological implication of such terms in particular. We look at a range of themes, especially the role of ‘nature’ as a concept in political economy; the impact of environmental transformation on urban and global environments; and the emergence of environmental politics from the late-nineteenth century. The aim is to encourage students to develop historical interests in contemporary issues and to prepare to engage in environmental questions as active citizens in a democratic society
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs)
ILO: Module-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 1. demonstrate significant knowledge and critical engagement with a range of historical issues around the themes of environment and sustainability.
- 2. demonstrate an ability to deploy effectively a range of the tools of ideology critique and discourse analysis in analysis of historical ideas about nature.
- 3. Demonstrate effectively the connections between material environmental transformations and ideologies across a range of themes and contexts
ILO: Discipline-specific skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 4. deploy effectively the concepts of ideology and discourse analysis in the critical analysis of historical sources
- 5. analyse a full range of original sources effectively and assess their utility as historical evidence
- 6. develop sustained, independent historical arguments in a variety of forms using appropriate terminology
ILO: Personal and key skills
On successfully completing the module you will be able to...
- 7. set tasks independently and solve problems, formulating appropriate questions and marshaling relevant evidence to answer them
- 8. digest, select and synthesize evidence and arguments to produce, to a deadline, a coherent, critical and cogent argument
- 9. be able to articulate the relationship between historical knowledge and contemporary political and social issues related to environmental change
- 10. be able to effectively articulate your own critical viewpoints
Syllabus plan
Themes to be addressed in this module may include: Ideology; Discourse Analysis; Political Economy and the Idea of Nature; Pollution and Control; Urban Change and The Environment; The Idea of Conservation; Waste; Imperialism and Environmental Transformation; The Origins of Modern Environmentalism
Learning activities and teaching methods (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | Guided independent study | Placement / study abroad |
|---|---|---|
| 33 | 267 | 0 |
Details of learning activities and teaching methods
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Classes | 11 | Students will be expected to read and prepare for these classes which develop the main themes of the module |
| seminars | 22 | Student-led seminars which focus on the careful reading of primary source material |
| Guided independant study | 44 | Reading for classes. Readings to be provided on ELE. |
| Guided independant study | 44 | Reading for seminars. Readings to be provided on ELE. |
| Guided independant study | 40 | Classroom set-exercise. You will also be expected to conduct reading from the relevant further readings on ELE and your own independent research. |
| Guided independant study | 56 | Critical Source analysis portfolio You will also be expected to conduct reading from the relevant further readings on ELE and your own independent research. |
| Guided independant study | 50 | Exam preparation. You will also be expected to conduct reading from the relevant further readings on ELE and your own independent research. |
Formative assessment
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Classroom set-exercise | 120 minutes | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 | Verbal |
| Group Presentation | 20 Minutes | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10 | Verbal and peer feedback |
Summative assessment (% of credit)
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 50 | 50 | 0 |
Details of summative assessment
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Critical Source Analysis Portfolio | 50 | 3,000 words | 1,2,3,4,5,6,8 | Written |
| Exam | 50 | 2 hours | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 | Written |
Details of re-assessment (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| CriticSource Analysis Portfolio | Critical source analysis Portfolio 3,000 words | 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8 | Referral/deferral period |
| Exam | Essay 3,000 words | 1,2,3,4,5,6,8 | Referral/deferral period |
Re-assessment notes
give details of how re-assessment will be calculated. This section can also be used to indicate where re-assessment is not available
Indicative learning resources - Basic reading
J. Winter: Secure from Rash Assault (2002)
H. Ritvo, The Dawn of Green (2009)
K. Thomas, Man and the Natural World (several edns.)
Indicative learning resources - Web based and electronic resources
| Credit value | 30 |
|---|---|
| Module ECTS | 15.00 |
| Module pre-requisites | None |
| Module co-requisites | None |
| NQF level (module) | 6 |
| Available as distance learning? | No |
| Origin date | 2010 |
| Last revision date | 29/01/2016 |