Overview

Description

CALENDAR DESCRIPTION:

An introduction to the fundamental social and human-geographical dimensions of climate change: the ideas, tools, and institutions through which human communities and institutions are responding (or not) to the challenges of a warming planet.

COURSE DETAILS:

Course Details 
This course will give students a broad introduction to the fundamental social and human-geographical dimensions of climate change. In particular, it will focus on the fact that the important effects of climate change will be in how human communities and institutions respond to the challenges of a warming planet. Consequently, it will introduce students to the basic scientific “facts of the matter”, but will focus on two crucial effects of these facts: (a) the tools, like economic analysis and forecasting, that we use despite enormous uncertainty to understand climate change and anticipate its effects; and (b) existing and proposed institutions, technologies, and political organization that might allow us to address the political-economic, ecological, and social challenges climate change promises to bring. All of this will be grounded in a concern for distributional impacts, both within and between nation-states. The goal is to help students understand our best estimates of where we are right now with respect to planetary climate change—politically, ecologically, and economically—what has been suggested we might do about the current crisis, and how to analyze the options.

Tutorial Details:

• Tutorials are held in separate two-hour blocks from the Lecture
  • D101 RM AQ 5049 Fridays 12:30 to 2:20
  • D102 RM AQ 5049 Mondays 10:30 to 12:20
  • D103 RM WMC 3251 Mondays 2:30 to 4:20
• Tutorials are mandatory; no tutorial will be held in the first week

Academic Integrity

Please review SFU’s Academic Integrity website http://www.sfu.ca/students/academicintegrity.html which has information on academic dishonesty, where you can find resources to help with your studies and the consequences of cheating.  Each student is responsible for their conduct as it affects the University community.  Academic dishonesty, in whatever form, is ultimately destructive of the values of the University. Scholarly integrity is required of all members of the University (http://www.sfu.ca/policies/gazette/student/s10-01.html).

Notes

Students with hidden or visible disabilities who may need class or exam accommodations are advised to register with the SFU Centre for Accessible Learning (caladmin@sfu.ca or 778-782-3112) as early as possible in order to prepare for the spring 2023 term.

COURSE-LEVEL EDUCATIONAL GOALS:

• Deepen understanding of current political, ecological, and economic challenges in the context of climate change
• Broaden awareness of social and human-geographical dimensions of climate change
• Encourage critical assessment of societal and policy issues and related processes concerning future climate change (e.g., IPCC, UNFCCC)   
• Reflect on Indigenous knowledge systems and science in tackling the climate emergency
• Review public and media discourse on climate change science
• Connect theory, research evidence, practice, and policy  
• Locate, synthesize, and analyze information on topics for relevancy and potential bias
• Communicate key points of a climate crisis topic, orally and in writing
• Collaborate effectively and efficiently with peers
• Reflect on process and material; share insights

Grading

Materials

REQUIRED READING:

REQUIRED READING NOTES: