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Overview

This module will explore the relationship between climate change and society to offer a timely analysis of the climate crisis we are currently facing. This interdisciplinary module will engage students with various theoretical and multidisciplinary approaches (sociology, social policy, criminology, geography, environmental sciences, politics, economics and history) to develop students’ ability to contextualize and analyse societies relationship with the natural world from an historical-contemporary perspective. This module will develop students’ critical analysis skills to gain a deeper understanding of the causes of the climate crisis and its link to our global economic, cultural and political structures and what this relationship means in terms of principles of justice and democracy. Students’ abilities to construct cohesive and constructive arguments in response to contemporary socio-environmental issues, policies and debates will be developed. This module demonstrates the important role sociology has in resolving the current climate and extinction / biodiversity crisis, by developing students' abilities to critique and evaluate possible solutions for developing a more sustainable social, cultural, economic and environmental global future.

.The module will cover a range of topics such as: • Introduction to Environmental Sociology; • History of environmental sociology; • Capitalism and environmental exploitation; • Knowledge and power; • The economies of globalization; • Climate crimes and climate justice • Citizenship, civic local and global empowerment; • Identity and democracy; • The rise of environmental politics and movements; • Protests, Law and Justice • Global governance and the environment; • Migration and climate crisis; • The legacy of mass extinction; • The environment and mental and physical well-being; • The Green New Deal; • Towards a sustainable future.

Assessment Strategy

Threshold - Threshold range = (C- to C+), students are expected to display a satisfactory level of achievement or depth of knowledge across most aspects of the module. Their efforts will result in successful, albeit occasionally inconsistent, attempts to develop skills pertinent to the sociology of climate change at the PGT level. Written assessments within this category should strive to address the question at hand, although there may be some narrative drift, with evidence of adequate reading and research. However, the argument may lack clarity and direction towards the lower end of this band. Written submissions should be reasonably presented with few errors in grammar, punctuation, and referencing, none of which should significantly obscure the intended meaning.

Good - Merit = (B- to B+) denotes students who exhibit a solid level of achievement and depth of knowledge across all criteria within the Pass (C- to C+) range. Additionally, they demonstrate critical and analytical engagement with diverse sociological and climate change writings and interpretations. Their ideas are effectively communicated, supported by a diverse range of sources/reading, showcasing a clear understanding of the issues and existing interpretations through a well-structured, relevant, and focused argument. At the upper end of this band, students engage with and critically evaluate encountered ideas, synthesizing various interpretations to form their own considered conclusions. Written submissions are correctly formatted with appropriate references and bibliography.

Excellent – excellent = (A- and above) demonstrate strong achievement across all criteria, coupled with impressive depths of knowledge and/or subtle analysis. In written work, they bolster their arguments with a wealth of relevant detail/examples, showcasing acute awareness of relevant sociological climate change literature. They will show their ability to critically analyse theory and evidence from which they will develop their evidenced-based conclusion. They may adeptly address possible objections, refining their argument in light of counter-examples or offering an intriguing synthesis of contrasting positions. Overall, the standards of content, argument, and analysis expected are consistently superior to top upper-second work, with high standards of presentation.

Learning Outcomes

• Articulate comprehension and appraisal of the key sociological theories of climate change.

• Contextual comprehension and appraisal of events and attitudes in terms of an historical context.

• Critically analyse environmental sociology and the sociology of climate change perspectives and studies..

• Identify and evaluate a range of key sociological, environmental, political, economic, criminology and policy literature.