Transcript HSE Moscow, Sociological Faculty Master Program “Complex Social

HSE Moscow, Sociological Faculty
Master Program “Complex Social Analysis”
Course “Environmental sociology” 2013/2014
(Elective Course)
Teacher: Karl Bruckmeier
Language: English
Time: January – March 2014
Environmental Sociology - a new subdiscipline of sociology …
I invite you to learn environmental sociology …
… in a course of 2 months (6 weeks teaching and
training to work in English language + 2 weeks for
writing a sociological essay as exam essay)
English is the language for working in the course, but
you are not supposed to speak English perfectly: for
the beginning it is sufficient to read English texts.
How to present and discuss texts orally (in small working groups), how to formulate a research question
and problem, how to write a short sociological essay
in English - this is trained in the course
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Two main aims of the course
1. Learning to answer the principal questions
of environmental sociology from the scientific
literature we read and discuss, but connecting this
knowledge with your own thoughts and ideas
2. To enable you to work with a master thesis
on a theme from environmental sociology or
other sociological fields (environmental sociology
touches many other sociological sub-disciplines and
themes: e.g. political and economic sociology, sociology of social movements, sociology of risk, a series
of sociological theories, and more interdisciplinary
themes studied in sociology and other disciplines:
lifestyles and consumption, urbanization, technology
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This course has 2 parts …
… each part with 6 sessions (lectures, discussions and
workshops/seminars)
Part 1 – introduction:
Environmental sociology – history and development
(origins, approaches, methods, authors, neighbour
disciplines)
Part 2 – deepening:
Environmental sociology - themes and problems
(pollution, resource scarcity, energy systems, global
environmental change – climate change; sustainable
development - a solution?)
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Part 1 - Introduction
1. History and development of environmental
sociology since the 1970s (USA, Western Europe,
Russia)
2. Scientific context – approaches, methods, theories
3. Main authors and contributions – Catton, Dunlap,
Buttel, Mol, Beck, Giddens, Schnaiberg, Foster, Rice,
Yanitsky
4. Neighbour disciplines – human/cultural/social
ecology, environmental economics, environmental history
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Part 2 – Themes and problems
1. Basic themes
awareness/attitudes, value changes; new social and
environmental movements; environmental policy; ecological
modernization of economy
2. Interdisciplinary themes
natural resource use and its effects; poverty, population
growth, development – “Malthusian questions”
3. Environmental problems and risks
environmental problems in history and in modern societies agricultural and industrial pollution, deforestation,
desertification
4. Global environmental problems in 21st century and
potential solutions
changes in climate, land use, biodiversity; ecological
distribution conflicts North/South; renewable energy sources,
sustainable development - “our common future”
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What else to learn in this course?
Basic training of scientific work in English
language:
1. Reading and analysing scientific texts
2. Oral presentation and discussion of scientific
literature (in working groups)
3. Basic academic writing – sociological essays
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What you should have learned when you
have finished the course
How to work with the main questions of environmental
sociology and finding answers to them:
1. Why should environmental themes and problems be studied
in sociology?
2. What can sociology say about the interaction between
man/individual, nature and society?
3. What does it mean that nature and environmental problems
are socially constructed?
4. How did modern societies change nature, especially in 20th
century?
5. What can sociology say about climate change, energy and
resource use problems and their solution?
6. What is specific with environmental problems in Russia?
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How to work?
1. Lectures – all with power point slides which you receive after the
lecture, guided discussions of course literature
2. Individual reading and analyzing of scientific texts (all course
literature - 3 books and about 30 articles - is handed out to you in
electronic copies, you do not need to buy course literature)
3. Small working groups to discuss the course literature and to
present selected texts from the course literature in the workshops
5. The examination includes (a) active participation in all lectures
and sessions, (b) short oral presentation (by working groups) of
texts in the workshops, (c) short individual essay
A detailed course plan with all information about sessions, course
literature, working methods, criteria for examination and grading
will be available for all participants at the beginning of the course
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Environmental Sustainability Index:
Russia not so bad?