Module POL2101 for 2018/9
- Overview
- Aims and Learning Outcomes
- Module Content
- Indicative Reading List
- Assessment
Undergraduate Module Descriptor
POL2101: Public Environmental Politics
This module descriptor refers to the 2018/9 academic year.
Module Aims
This module aims to introduce the historical and contemporary character of environmentalism and sustainability as processes of public campaigning and political change. In so doing, it aims to introduce key scientific, philosophical and theoretical debates on the environment, alongside real world developments environmental policy and politics. It will equip students with the key skill to help them critically evaluate scientific and policy claims made in mass media coverage of environmental issues. The primary context will be the UK and the European Union, but the international scene will always be in evidence.
| On successfully completing the programme you will be able to: | |
|---|---|
| Module-Specific Skills | 1. Understand the origins and evolution of green political thought 2. Critique the different ways in which environmental issues have been framed in public and policy arenas 3. Analyse the role and perspectives of multiple actors and perspectives on in environmental policy 4. Display knowledge of the complexities of addressing environmental policy across policy sectors and governance scales 5. Evaluate critically policy and public initiatives to tackle environmental problems 6. Recognise the difficulties of achieving meaningful environmental debates and global policy agreements |
| Discipline-Specific Skills | 7. Think critically, analyse debates and present coherent arguments about environmental politics 8. Evaluate the effectiveness of and barriers to policy interventions 9. Understand processes of political contestation in the modern public sphere via lobbying, mass media, public engagement and policy formation |
| Personal and Key Skills | 10. Evaluate ideas and debates 11. Demonstrate critical media literacy skills search for, contextualize and evaluate mass media content 12. Present written material in a coherent and accessible manner 13. Work collaboratively in a group to produce a short film and evaluate others performance 14. Contribute productively and co-operatively to class discussions |
How this Module is Assessed
In the tables below, you will see reference to 'ILO's. An ILO is an Intended Learning Outcome - see Aims and Learning Outcomes for details of the ILOs for this module.
Formative Assessment
A formative assessment is designed to give you feedback on your understanding of the module content but it will not count towards your mark for the module.
| Form of assessment | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Group project producing an environmental briefing film, to be presented towards the end of the course. | 10 minutes each | 1-11; 13 | Oral |
| Contributions to class discussion | Throughout course | 1-11; 14 | Oral |
| Environmental politics news scrapbook & class discussion | Throughout course assessed via oral contribution Students will be asked to voluntarily submit their scrapbooks as an appendix to summative assessments. | 1-11; 14 | Oral/written |
Summative Assessment
A summative assessment counts towards your mark for the module. The table below tells you what percentage of your mark will come from which type of assessment.
| Coursework | Written exams | Practical exams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 | 0 | 0 |
...and this table provides further details on the summative assessments for this module.
| Form of assessment | % of credit | Size of the assessment (eg length / duration) | ILOs assessed | Feedback method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Case study investigation report | 60 | 2,500 words | 1-12 | Written & oral with returned essay |
| Briefing notes to accompany video + reflective diary of groupwork | 40 | 1000 words (briefing notes) 1000 words (reflective diary) | 1-12 | Written & oral with returned essay |
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 | ||||
| 0 |
Re-assessment
Re-assessment takes place when the summative assessment has not been completed by the original deadline, and the student has been allowed to refer or defer it to a later date (this only happens following certain criteria and is always subject to exam board approval). For obvious reasons, re-assessments cannot be the same as the original assessment and so these alternatives are set. In cases where the form of assessment is the same, the content will nevertheless be different.
| Original form of assessment | Form of re-assessment | ILOs re-assessed | Timescale for re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Case study investigation report | Case Study (2,500 words) | 1-12 | August/September reassessment period |
| Briefing notes to accompany video + reflective diary of groupwork | Briefing notes + diary (1000+1000 words) | 1-12 | August/September reassessment period |
Indicative Reading List
This reading list is indicative - i.e. it provides an idea of texts that may be useful to you on this module, but it is not considered to be a confirmed or compulsory reading list for this module.
Core Texts:
Anderson, A (2016) Media, environment and the network society. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan
Connelly, J., Smith, G., Benson, D. & Saunders, C. (2012) Politics and the Environment. Routledge, Oxford.
Hansen, A. (2010). Environment, media and communication. Routledge.
Hilton, M., McKay, J., Crowson, N., &; Mouhot, J.(2013). The Politics of Expertise: How NGOs Shaped Modern Britain. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Roberts, J. (2010). Environmental Policy. Routledge.
All are available as ebook editions from the library
Suggested readings will be listed for each seminar topic. Ideally, you should be aiming to read at least three items for each seminar (including the main reading). For your essays, you should be consulting a minimum of eight pieces.
Please keep in mind that module reading lists are only indicators of some relevant reading materials and you should browse the library shelves to find alternative sources that may give you a different perspective.
Much of the material we cover in this module can be accessed through journals. Journals can be accessed and read online at: http://lib.ex.ac.uk
Some of the main journals relevant to this module are: Global Environmental Change, Environmental Politics, Environment and Planning A/C, , Climate Policy; Environmental Communication; Public Understanding of Science
ELE – College to provide hyperlink to appropriate pages
