Module Identifier GG10310  
Module Title DEVELOPMENT AND ENVIRONMENT  
Academic Year 2004/2005  
Co-ordinator Dr Mark J Whitehead  
Semester Semester 1  
Other staff Dr Deborah P Dixon, Dr Heidi V Scott, Dr Luke C Desforges  
Pre-Requisite Normally A or AS level Geography.  
Course delivery Lecture   20 Hours 20 x 1 hr lectures.  
Assessment
Assessment TypeAssessment Length/DetailsProportion
Semester Exam2 Hours Written exam. Answer one question from each section, four questions set in each100%
Supplementary Assessment2 Hours Same format.  100%

Learning outcomes

On completion of the module participants will be able to:

  1. Describe and evaluate the historical trajectory of developmental and environmental concerns at a global scale
  2. Relate forms of change to associated forms of economic, social and political practices and evaluate the role of sustainability and developmental politics within the wider processes associated with globalisation
  3. Describe the processes which are shaping contemporary forms of development politics and environmental change
  4. Critically assess the explanations that have been advanced to account for these developmental and environmental concerns
  5. Develop critical multi-media reading, interpretation and evaluation skills


Aims

The module aims to provide students with an introduction to geographical understandings of current issues in the overlapping fields of global development and environmental politics. Socio-economic development and environmental sustainability provide two of the major issues structuring human relationships with place and nature in the contemporary world. This module introduces the historical development of these themes, how geographers have engaged with development and environmental theory and practice, and consequent implications for concrete policy and political practices. These themes are addressed through a wide range of case studies from local to global scale.

Content

1. International Development: from Colonisation to Globalisation
Lectures 1-3: The making of the Third World
Lectures 4-7: Thinking about International Development
Lectures 8-11: The Geographies of Development

2. Nature and the Global Environment
Lecture 12: Nature, society and the environment
Lecture 13: Approaching environmental geography
Lecture 14: A brief history of environmentalism

3. Environmental change and society
Lecture 15: Industrialisation, population growth and the Greens
Lecture 16: Scientific development and the Risk Society
Lecture 17: Globalisation and the environment

4. Environmental politics
Lecture 18: Local responses to environmental change: environmental protest movements
Lecture 19: The response of the nation state: the case of the UK
Lecture 20: International action and sustainable development

Reading Lists

Books
** Recommended Text
Potter, R.B., Binns, A., Elliott, J.A., Smith, D. (2004) Geographies of Development 2nd. Pearson, Prentice Hall ISBN 0130605697
Carter, N. (2001) The Politics of the Environment: Ideas, Activism and Policy. Cambridge University Press ISBN 0521469945
Dobson, A. The Green Reader Andre Deutsch ISBN 0233986537
O'Riordan, T (1981) Environmentalism 2nd. London: Pion ISBN 085086092X
Dickenson, J. et al (1996) A Geography of the Third World London: Routledge
Young, S (1993) The Politics of the Environment Manchester: Baseline Books ISBN 1897626045
** Recommended Background
Hodder, R (2000) Development Geography London: Routledge
Preston, P (1999) Development Theory Oxford: Blackwell
Dobson, A (1990) Green Political Thought Unwin Hyman ISBN 0044452454

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 4