Degree | Type | Year | Semester |
---|---|---|---|
2501915 Environmental Sciences | FB | 1 | 1 |
Not established.
(in the case of the English group: knowledge of english, level of “Cambridge First Certificate”)
This subject is taught by professors of the area of Social Sciences (Sociology and Geography).
The main goal is to provide an adequate knowledge of the main tools and concepts for the study of the relationship between environment and society that have been developed in Social Sciences.
Specifically, the following dimensions will be addressed:
a) History and recent evolution of environmental social movements. The main theoretical models will be introduced in order to explain the existing relationships between environment and society, with special insight in the analysis of the socio-environmental conflicts.
b) The main geographical and social dimensions of the global world, with an special attention to the globalization process, the development and the environmental impact that the human activity generates on the planet. Emphasis will be given to the aspects of the globalization related with the economy and in the debate on the dynamics of growth in the world economy and the environment limits.
c) Analysis of the main world demographic dynamics, specially the study of the population growth processes, now and in the near future. This growth has generated a strong debate on the capacity of the planet to absorb and sustain this population and the tensions that arise between population and resources.
d) The growth of the population has originated the need to feed a growing mass of people and the hunger situation persist despite the green revolution and the so-called 'new green revolution' based on transgenic crops. The intensification of the world rural production has an important impact on the planet's biodiversity and on the rise of the pollution levels and soil destruction.
e) Finally, attention will be given to the urban dynamics (cities) and the main environmental problems that are associated to the human concentrations derived from the population growth and land use consumption.
The theory classes will be combined with practices in GIS lab as well as with seminars, where the different concepts exposed in the theory classes will be addressed through hearings, video fragments and debates on diverse texts. It is in the scope of these classes to promote the student active participation in debates with the objective to gain reasoning capacity from a critical and informed perspective.
1 Relationships between environment and society
Nature and culture. Between the geographical determinism and the biological reductionism.
Environment and social theories. Main tendencies.
Discussion about realism and constructivism in the definition of environmental problems.
The theories of the 'risk society' in the age of globalization.
2 The social perception of environmental risks
Definition of environmental risk.
Science and policy roles in the definition of environmental risks.
Discussion on the acceptable risk and studies on social perception of risk.
Information and communication of environmental risks.
3 Social responses to environmental risks
Social movements: conservationism and environmentalism in political ecology.
Socio-environmental conflicts and citizen participation.
Sustainability and public policies.
The debate about the precautionary principle.
4 Globalization and inequality
World system theory.
Globalization: main features.
Conceptualization and measurement of global inequality: GDP and HDI
5 Development
Definition and discussion of the concept.
Rostow theory of modernization and alternative proposals.
External debt and ecological debt.
Environmental criticism and the proposal of degrowth.
6 World population
Demographic transition and demographic explosion.
World population structure. The contrasts between countries: growth, mortality and fertility.
The debate resources / population.
7 Agriculture and food
Agrariansystems
World food production and trade
Hunger and Green Revolution
Biotechnology and the New Green Revolution
Alternatives to the current agro-food system
8 Cities
The Urbanization of the world population
Socioenvironmental challenges of urbanization and global change
1.Theoretical classes
The faculty will make an exposition of the main concepts and theoretical proposals in each study unit. Specific cases will be explained that exemplify the studied concepts. The intention is to promote debate and discussion on the treated topics.
2.Seminars
Sociology (first part of the course)
Seminars will consist of the discussion, exposition and debate of a series of readings selected on environmental issues, and the proposal of different activities. At the beginning of the course the professor will provide these readings and the calendar of expositions and debates.
Group discussions will be done and each student will make a brief reflection on some of these readings (specific instructions will be provided at the beginning of the school year).
Geograohy (second part of the course)
Seminars will be based on:
a) conferences on relevant environmental issues,
b) exhibition of videos to be debated at class,
c) discussion about mandatory readings. All the readings deal with aspects related to the list of topics and the main concepts worked at theory classes. The student will prepare a brief report of the information contained by the book based on a script that will be previously given.
The report will contain three questions to debate with the class. The reports will have to be prepared in groups of 2-3 students.
With such activities the students will consolidate what's been learned in the theory classes and work group dynamics will be promoted through a reading exercise, the information selection and discussion.
3. External Visits to Entities
There will be two field visits. The dates of the two visits will be notified well in advance.
4. Laboratory
For 10 hours, anddivided into four groups. The students will begin in the practice of elaboration and edition of digital cartography.
5. Tutorials
Theprocess of learning and acquisition of competences will be supervised by the teaching staff through individual and / or group tutorials. The teachers of the subject will be available to the students to solve the doubts and follow the evolution of the aforementioned process of learning and the acquisition of competences of the students.
6. Virtual campus of the subject
All the graphical information used by the teacher in the theoretical classes and the seminars as well as the different materials elaborated by the students will be available in the Virtual Campus. In addition, the campusvirtual will be the space that will carry the information related to the organization of the subject.
Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
---|---|---|---|
Type: Directed | |||
Fieldtrip | 9 | 0.36 | 2, 9, 12 |
Lab | 10 | 0.4 | 4, 3, 6, 8, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 1, 14, 13 |
Seminars | 20 | 0.8 | 2, 4, 3, 6, 8, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 1, 14, 13 |
Theorical lectures | 36 | 1.44 | 2, 4, 3, 5, 6, 8, 7, 9, 10, 11, 14, 13 |
Type: Supervised | |||
Tutorials | 16 | 0.64 | 4, 3, 6, 8, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14 |
Type: Autonomous | |||
Lab activities | 26 | 1.04 | 4, 3, 6, 8, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 13 |
Problems | 52 | 2.08 | 4, 3, 6, 8, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 13 |
Report (seminars) | 26 | 1.04 | 2, 4, 3, 6, 8, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 13 |
Study | 21 | 0.84 | 4, 3, 6, 8, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14, 13 |
The evaluation will consist of:
a) THEORETICAL PART: 50% of the total mark:
- 2 partial written exams including concepts treated in the theory classes and seminars and lab practices: 20% first part of the course 15% second part of the course.
- 1 exercise per topic in Geography (Topics 4, 5, 6, 7 & 8) in the classroom and in class time. Each exercise will have a weight of 3% of the total mark.
b) SEMINARS (25% of the total score: 10% sociology part, 15% geography part). Active participation in sessions will be valued and quality of the reports on the lectures and exercises. Regular assistance will be valued.
c) EXTERNAL VISITS TO ENTITIES (10% of the total grade). It is essential to attend the two proposed field visits.
d) LABORATORY (15% of the total grade). Adequate performance of the practices and regular attendance at each session of the laboratory will be valued.
It is considered that a student will obtain the 'non-appraising qualification' when he/she has not provided a set of activities mentioned in this guide. It is considered that a student has the right to be evaluated when, at least:
- He has taken the two partial exams and,
- has done a minimum of three evaluation exercises (geography part),
- has delivered 75% of the proposed activities to seminars and,
- has attended and carried out the work in charge of each of the external visits to entities and,
- has delivered the laboratory work
It is necessary to obtain a minimum of 5 points in the average of the theory part, in the seminars and in the lab practices in order to pass the course.
On the theory part, students that have not passed some of the partial exams and/or do not obtain a minimum of 5 in the average of the exercises will have to retake the exam
In order to retake the exam the student needs to be previously evaluated in the set of activities, the importance of which is equivalent to at least two thirds of the total grade.
Title | Weighting | Hours | ECTS | Learning Outcomes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Exams | 35 % | 4 | 0.16 | 5, 6, 8, 7, 9, 10, 11 |
Exercises (theory) | 15 % | 5 | 0.2 | 2, 8, 7, 10, 11, 1 |
Field Trip | 10 % | 0 | 0 | 9, 12 |
Lab | 25 % | 0 | 0 | 2, 4, 3, 14, 13 |
Seminars | 15 % | 0 | 0 | 12, 1 |
At the beginning of the course, English bibliography will be given. To see general bibliography, watch the Catalan version.