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Has green politics come of age? Around the world we are seeing spontaneous community movements challenging four difficult and intersecting issues: dangerous environmental change, growing social inequality, weak democracy and a paradigm of growth that has contributed to resource extraction beyond the capacity of the planet. Against a background of difficult issues including climate change and the impact of colonization, this course examines the roots of environmental thinking and activism and asks- what are the implications of these ideas for how we live as citizens, communities, businesses and nations and how might we plan for just transitions towards a more equitable and sustainable future? The course involves a weekend field trip.
The pedagogy that drives this course is liberation education, students are encouraged to see themselves as citizens who can effect change, to think about their situation and that of others, and to read a few key texts in depth,– to spark deeper thinking and critical reflection.Students are also given the opportunity to apply their reading and reflection to real world case studies, to think about the potential and possibilities for a greener, socially just future. This is not an ordinary lecture series, it’s a course I hope stays with you in some way and I request you come prepared to contribute actively to class, and to read and listen to a range of view points that may differ significantly from your own – there is no point in studying merely to reinforce our prejudices and world views, the purpose of effective, higher education is new, richer insight into collective problems.Students will understand and can critically evaluate green political theory and, where applicable, apply this knowledge to analysis of issues confronting a local NZ community Students will become aware of and understand the nature of bi-culturalism in Aotearoa New Zealand and its relevance to debates about green political development. Introduction to issues influencing development of Māori representation, institutional representation and tikanga in environmental protection and management and policy debate Students will have observed and understood a culture within a community by reflecting on their own performance and experiences within that community. Students will comprehend the influence of global conditions of environmental change on the discipline of political science and will be competent in engaging with global and multi-cultural contexts.
This course will provide students with an opportunity to develop the Graduate Attributes specified below:
Critically competent in a core academic discipline of their award
Students know and can critically evaluate and, where applicable, apply this knowledge to topics/issues within their majoring subject.
30 points in POLS at 200 level. Students without 30 points at 200 level in POLS but with at least a B average in 75 points in appropriate courses may be admitted with the approval of the Head of Department and/or Programme Coordinator.
For further information see Language, Social and Political Sciences Head of Department
Course readings and topic by week: the course does not have a set text but you may find it useful to read the text Hayward, B (2012) Children, Citizenship and Environment: Nurturing a Democratic Imagination in a Changing World (Earthscan, Routledge London) and Sea Change BWB.
Domestic fee $1,723.00
International fee $6,575.00
* All fees are inclusive of NZ GST or any equivalent overseas tax, and do not include any programme level discount or additional course-related expenses.
For further information see Language, Social and Political Sciences .