Introduction to Environmental Politics and Policy Syllabus
Political
Science 297
Spring
2008
Instructor:
Telephone: 346 0891
E-mail: csmith5@darkwing.uoregon.edu
Course Time: MWF 11:00-11:50AM
Course Location: 221 MacKenzie
Course CRN: 34350
Office Hours: Monday 1-4PM
Office Location: 830 PLC
Course Description:
The aim of this course is to introduce students to the major theories
shaping environmental issues and problems today and to explore existing
policies that aim to address these environmental problems. It is designed to provide students the
theoretical and analytic tools to better formulate and articulate positions on
the major debates and policies driving environmental politics in the
contemporary world. While the course
focuses on environmental politics and policy in the
The course is divided into three sections. First, we will examine the origins and
character of contemporary environmental issues and debates. The aim is to provide a brief introduction to
the history of American environmental thought and explore the different
perspectives on the nature and severity of the environmental crises facing us
today. In the second section we will
examine competing perspectives on how best to solve environmental
problems. We will compare the merits and
limitations of administrative rationalism, liberal democracy, ecological
democracy, market liberalism, sustainable development, and ecological
modernization. As part of this section
we will examine deep and social ecology, the environmental justice movement,
and perspectives from the developing world.
The aim of the second section is to provide students with a choice among
some of the competing approaches to solving environmental problems that best
suits their conceptualization and understanding of the issues. The final section is dedicated to exploring
U.S and international environmental policy.
Here we will first study the regulatory environment and institutional
setting in which environmental policies are made, implemented and
evaluated. Then we will examine specific
policy areas including air and water pollution, energy policy, land management
issues, and international environmental policy.
Required
All of the textbooks are available
from the
1.
Dryzek, John S. and David Schlosberg.
Debating the Earth:
The Environmental Politics Reader, Second Edition.
2.
Smith, Zachary A. The Environmental Policy Paradox,
Fourth Edition.
3.
I will post some additional readings
online accessible through the course Blackboard website (BB) and the university electronic reserve system (ER). The username for electronic
reserves is “spring07[CRS1]” and the password is “rainy[CRS2]”.
4.
If you would like to supplement the
required reading with additional works please see me for suggestions. I would both be happy to suggest readings
that build upon or offer an alternative opinion to the required readings. For those you not challenged by an
introductory class I highly recommend seeing me for additional reading and a
conversation.
5.
The Blackboard website will also be
used to disseminate information, handouts, and conduct a discussion of issues
relevant to the class. Students are
expected to check their email the Blackboard website regularly.
Grading and Assignments
·
30% - Research Paper (8-10 pages): Each student will be required to
come up with an essay topic, submit a brief (one paragraph) paper proposal by
the end of the second week of class (4/11/07), and have their topic approved by
the instructor or GTF by the middle of the third week. Students are then required to conduct
research on this topic, write an 8-10 page paper and turn it in on Friday of
week eight (5/23/07). The GTF and I will
be more than happy to provide guidance in topic selection, research and writing
the paper. In fact, we expect students
to interact with us at each stage in the research and writing process. Late papers will be penalized 10% (roughly
one letter grade) each day they are late.
Very late papers (3 days late) will not be accepted. Only documented medical excuses and family
emergencies will be exempt from these criteria.
Plagiarism is unacceptable and against the academic honor code. Exact quotes must have quotations marks
around them and an appropriate citation using a consistent format throughout
the paper. Paraphrases must have an appropriate citation. If you have any doubts, cite the source. If you have further questions, please see me,
the GTF, or consult the University writing code. Students caught plagiarizing will receive 0%
for the paper and be referred to the Office for Academic Affairs. Please do not plagiarize.
·
25% - Midterm: The midterm will
be split into two sections. The first
section will ask students to answer five out of eight short answer questions
based on material covered in lectures and readings (3-4 sentences). In the second section students will answer
two of three short essay questions also based on the lectures and readings (one
paragraph or 10 sentences). The midterm
will be an in-class on Monday 5/7/07 and will be a closed book test[CRS3].
·
35% - Final: The final will be
split into three sections. The first
section will ask students to answer six short answer questions based on
material covered in the lectures and readings (2-4 sentences). The second section will ask students to
answer two short essay questions from a choice of four possibilities, also
based on the lectures and readings (one paragraph or 6-10 sentences). The third
section will ask students to write one essay from a choice of three analyzing a
specific policy problem we examine in class (2-3 paragraphs). Although the final will focus on material
from the latter part of the class it will require students to apply cumulative
knowledge learned throughout the term.
The final will be administered on Monday June 11, 2007 at 3:15p.m[CRS4].
·
10% - Section attendance and participation: Section attendance is mandatory, including week one. Students will discuss class material and
receive guidance on assignments and exams in section. One percentage point will be deducted from a
student’s final grade for each section missed without a documented excuse. However, you can miss one section during the
quarter without a penalty.
·
There will be optional assignments for additional
credit at various times during the term. I will use public events, campus lectures and
other ways to provide students with the means to add a few percentage points to
their final grade. The frequency and
number of points allocated for each additional assignment will be decided
during the class, depending on the availability of such events.
Course Outline
Section One: Environmental
Thought and The Environmental Problem
Monday 3/31/08: Introduction
·
No Required
Wednesday 4/2/08: The History
of
·
Zachary A. Smith, “History of the
Environmental Movement”, pages 15-19 (Zach)
·
Read any five of the following short works.
Ø
Thomas Jefferson, “An Immensity of
Land” and “A Rising Nation” (BB).
Ø
Alexis de Tocqueville, “The Principle
of Association” (ER)
Ø
Chief Seattle, “1954 Speech” (BB).
Ø
George Perkins Marsh, “Man is
Everywhere a Disturbing Agent” (ER)
Ø Henry Thoreau, “Civil Disobedience” (BB).
Ø
John Muir, “Dam Hetch Hetchy” (BB).
Ø
Gifford Pinchot, “Principles of Conservation”
(ER).
Ø
Aldo Leopold, “Thinking Like a
Mountain” and “The Land Ethic” (BB).
Ø
Rachel Carson, Exerts from “Silent
Spring” (BB).
Ø
Barry Commoner, “To Survive we Must
Close the Circle” (ER)
Ø
Tom McCall, “Visit
Ø
Ronald Reagan, “The American Sound”
(ER)
v
Begin thinking about your research
paper topic now because you will need to submit a proposal by the end of next
week (4/13/07)
Friday 4/4/08: The
Environmental Problem: The Limits to Growth, Environmental Degradation, and Conceptualizing
Human Environmental Impact
·
Required
Ø
Garrett Hardin, “The Tragedy of the
Commons” (DS)
Ø
Lester Brown, “A Planet Under Stress”
(DS)
v Monday
4/7/08: The Promethean Response
·
Required
Ø
Julian L. Simon and Herman Kahn,
“Introduction to the Resourceful Earth” (DS)
Ø
Bjorn Lomborg, “The Truth About the
Environment” (DS)
Ø
Tom Burke, “Ten Pinches of Salt: A
Reply to Bjorn Lomborg” (DS)
Section Two: Competing
Perspectives on Solving Environmental Problems
Wednesday 4/9/08:
Administrative Rationalism: Building a Rational Environmental Bureaucracy
·
Required
Ø
Robert A. Bartlett, “Rationality and
the Logic of the National Environmental Policy Act” (DS)
Ø
Zachary A. Smith, “Chapter 3: The
Regulatory Environment” (Zach)
Ø
Mary O’Brien, “Goal: Replace risk
Assessment with Alternatives Assessment” (DS)
Friday 4/11/08: Liberal
Democracy: Bringing the People In
·
Required
Ø
Mark Sagoff, “The Allocation and
Distribution of Resources” (DS)
Ø
William P. Ophuls and A. Stephen
Boyan Jr. “The American Political Economy II: The Non-Politics of Laissez
Faire” (DS)
Ø
Marcel Wissenburg, “Sustainability
and the Limits of Liberalism” (DS)
v
Paper proposal is due today.
Monday 4/14/08: Market
Liberalism: Privatizing the Commons
·
Required
Ø
Terry L. Anderson and Donald R. Leal,
“Rethinking the Way We Think” (DS)
Ø
Robert E. Goodin, “Selling
Environmental Indulgences” (DS)
Wednesday 4/16/08: Sustainable
Development: Harmonizing Economic Growth and Environmental Protection
·
Required
Ø
Commission on Environment and
Development, “From One Earth to One World” (DS)
Ø
David Carruthers, “From Opposition to
Orthodoxy: the Remaking of Sustainable Development” (DS)
Friday 4/18/08: Ecological
Modernization: Is European Model the Way Forward
·
Required
Ø
John Barry, “Ecological
Modernization” (DS)
Monday 4/21/08: Deep Ecology
and Bioregionalism: Bringing Nature In
·
Required
Ø
Arne Naess, “The Shallow and the
Deep,
Ø
Jim Dodge, “Living By Life: Some
Bioregional Theory and Practice” (DS)
Wednesday 4/23/08: Social
Ecology: Social Origins of and Solutions to the Environmental Crisis
·
Required
Ø
Friday 4/25/08: Guest Lecture
by Sean Parson: Feminism and Ecology:
·
Required Reading
Ø
To Be Announced
Monday 4/28/08: The
Environmental Justice Movement: Bringing Class and Race In
·
Required Reading
Ø
First National People of Color
Environmental Leadership Summit, “Principles of Environmental Justice” (DS)
Ø
Robert D. Bullard, “Environmental
Justice in the 21st Century” (DS)
v
The midterm is one week from today.
Wednesday 4/30/08: A View From
the Developing World
·
Required Reading
Ø
Ramachandra Guha, “The
Environmentalism of the Poor” (DS)
Ø
Vandana Shiva, “Poverty and
Globalization” (DS)
Ø
Fabienne Bayet, “Overturning the
Doctrine: Indigenous People and Wilderness – Being Aboriginal in the
Environmental Movement” (DS)
Friday 5/2/08: Film: Race to
Save the Planet (or something different if I find a suitable replacement)
·
No required reading. Catch up on reading and study for the midterm
instead.
Monday 5/5/08: In-Class
Midterm
·
No Reading
Section Three: Environmental
Policy
Wednesday 5/7/08: Introduction
to the Environmental Policy Process: Institutions, Actors, and EISs
·
Required Reading
Ø
Zachary A. Smith, “Chapter 4: The
Political and Institutional Setting” (Zach)
Friday 5/9/08: Introduction to
the Environmental Policy Process (continued)
·
Required Reading
Ø
Continue reading Zachary A. Smith,
“Chapter 4: The Political and Institutional Setting” (Zach)
Monday 5/12/08: Air Pollution:
Sources, Laws, Regulation and Enforcement
·
Required Reading
Ø
Zachary A. Smith, “Chapter 5: Air
Pollution” (Zach)
Wednesday 5/14/08: Air
Pollution Continued: Contemporary Policies, Issues and Debates