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ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIETY – SYD 4510, Section ####
Spring Semester 2017
M-W-F, Period 6,12:50-1:40 PM
Newin-Ziegler Hall 0112
Dr. Stephen Perz, Department of Sociology and Criminology & Law (Affiliations: Center for Latin American Studies, Tropical Conservation and Development Program, School of Natural Resources and Environment, Initiative for Conservation of the Andes Amazon, etc.)
Office – Turlington 3115
Office Hours – 11:40 AM - 12:40 PM MWF, and by appointment
Office Phone – +01-352-294-7186
E-mail –
Course Description
This course adopts a sociological approach to understanding a suite of issues pertaining to the way societies influence the environment, and the ramifications of environmental change for societies, groups and individuals. We will engage various debates among the social sciences and among interest groups over why environmental degradation occurs and what might be done about it. Along the way, we will take up specific environmental issues like climate change and biodiversity, particular explanations for environmental problems like food and transportation systems, and approaches for managing environmental degradation such as governance.
In the process, we will consider various case studies of concrete experiences. Classes will feature discussion and group activities with some lectures, including guest lectures. We will often make reference to Latin America in general and the Amazon in particular as complementary cases to the US. This offers a broader perspectives on the issues at hand.
Required Books
Carolan, Michael. 2017 (2013). Society and the Environment: Pragmatic Solutions to Ecological Issues. Boulder, CO: Westview Press. (Either the original or the 2nd edition are fine.)
Easton, Thomas A., ed. 2016. Taking Sides: Clashing Views on Controversial Environmental Issues, 16th ed. Guilford: Dushkin/McGraw-Hill. (NOTE: Make sure you get the 16thedition.)
Other (Shorter!)Readings and Audiovisual Content (in the order they will be assigned)
La Via Campesina. 2015. Via Campesina TV, World Social Forum Tunisia 2015. Available at
Gainesville Regional Utilities. 2015. “Residential Rates: Electric, Gas, Water & Wastewater.” Available at
US Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service. 2016. “Nine Step Conservation Planning Process.” Available at
Mendoza, E., S.G. Perz, M. Schmink, and D. Nepstad. 2007. “Participatory Stakeholder Workshops to Mitigate Impacts of Road Paving in the Southwestern Amazon.” Conservation and Society 5(3): 382-407.
Bulos, Nabih. 2016. “Beirut Garbage Crisis has Lebanese Telling Government: ‘You Stink!’” Los Angeles Times, 26 July. Available at
Global Alliance of Waste Pickers. 2016. “Just Recycling: The Social, Economic and Environmental Benefits of Working with Waste Pickers. Available at
World Wildlife Fund. 2015. “Amazon Day – Raimundão (Chico Mendes Extractive Reserve).” Available at
Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR). 2013. “The Legacy of Chico Mendes” with Marcos Afonso. Available at
Gainesville Loves Mountains. 2015. Rates vs. Bills: An Open Letter from GLM Leader Nancy Deren to Our City Commission. Available at
Joseph, S. 2012. “Protracted Lawfare: The Tale of Chevron Texaco in the Amazon.” Available at
Hurtado, P. and E. Larson. 2016. “Chevron Ruling Blocks $8.6 Billion Order in Ecuador Fight.” Available at
Fearnside, P.M. 2016. “Brazilian Politics Threaten Environmental Policies.” Science 353: 746-748.
Hall, A. and S. Branford. 2012. “Development, Dams and Dilma: The Saga of Belo Monte.” Critical Sociology 38(6): 851-862.
Boivert, W. and J. Riccio. 2016. “Is Bernie Sanders Right That It’s Time to Phase out Nuclear Energy?” In These Times, 3 May. Available at
Parker, Laura. 2015. “Treading Water: Florida’s Bill is Coming Due…” National Geographic Feb. Available at
US EPA. 2016. “Carbon Footprint Calculator.” Available at
Brown, F., G. Pereira Santos, F. Ferreira Pires, and C. Batista da Costa. 2011. “Brazil: Drought and Fire Response in the Amazon.” World Resources Report Case Study. Available at
Ferm, N. 2008. “Non-traditional Agricultural Export Industries: Conditions for Women Workers in Colombia and Peru.” Gender and Development 16(1): 13-26.
Various. 2015-2016. The ExxonMobil Climate Fraud Debate. Various articles from the New York Times and Washington Post.
Bullard, Robert D. 2014. “The State of the Environmental Justice Executive Order after 20 Years.” Available at
Schmink, M. and M. Arteaga Gomez-Garcia. 2015. Under the Canopy: Gender and Forests in Amazonia. CIFOR Occasional Paper No. 121.
Student Learning Outcomes in this Course:
1. Understand the various explanations for environmental problems, as well as different theoretical perspectives on those explanations.
2. Grasp various initiatives to address environmental problems, along with their advantages and limitations.
3. Appreciate the importance of biophysical and socioeconomic context as both influence the causes, characteristics, and initiatives to address environmental problems.
Grades
Grade Composition. Your grade is determined on the basis of five (5) short “reaction” papers, participation in two group discussions, attendance, and two exams. The weights of these items are shown in the table below.
ItemPoints EachNumberTotal PointsPercent
Class Content Reactions 20 2 40 20
Media Reactions 20 3 60 30
Group Discussions 15 2 30 15
Attendance 10 2 20 10
Quizzes 10 5 50 25
Total N/A N/A 200 100
Class Content Reactions. During this course, we will cover topics using material from different sources, with different perspectives and contrasting findings. On four (4) occasions, I will ask you to write a reaction to a group of class activities on a topic. You must do any two (2) of the class content reactions. Each should be 800+ words (2-3 pages, double-spaced). A reaction paper is NOT a summary of the material, but rather your appraisal of the perspectives and issues at play. You are to form your OWN opinion about the assigned material AND develop an argument based your opinion. Class content reaction papers are due one week after being assigned at the beginning of class as noted in the course schedule that follows. I provide more information below on how to submit reaction papers.
Media Reactions. It is valuable to have a visual experience of environmental problems to gain some sense of their social foundations and responses. Therefore, in addition to reactions over class content, I require you to do three (3) reactions to different types of visual media, with one each of: 1.) a film/video/stream, 2.) a website, and 3.) a live presentation other than my lectures on class content. Media reactions should also be 800+ words, and focus on your opinion about the content and arguments based on your opinion. Media reactions are due by the beginning of class on the dates indicated in the course schedule that follows.
FilmReactions.Films/videos/streams provide valuable visual experiences of the issues we’ll be discussing. I will send you a list of films. Some are on DVDs on reserve in Library West, others you can rent or stream online. You are welcome to suggest other films with content relevant to the course, including YouTube or other online videos. In these cases, I must approve the film first. In such cases, the video/stream must include at least an hour of total content to be considered for a film reaction; this may requires viewing a series of shorter clips. The film reactions should focus on your thoughts about the issues raised, as outlined for lecture reactions above. Don’t summarize the film content.
Website Reactions.It is valuable to gain via digital technology some sense of how organizations and individuals view environmental problems and their social foundations and responses. Therefore, I require you to do a website reaction. You choose the URL. I strongly encourage you to conduct your own searches and see what you dig up; you’ll be more engaged by what you find yourself. Both books for this course have plenty of suggestions in terms of topics and organizations. The website must have content pertaining to environment-society issues. The website reaction must provide the site URL and canbriefly summarize the general content of the site, but most of your text should relate your thoughts and development of your arguments, as emphasized above.
Presentation Reactions.This semester, many units around campus will be holding talks relevant to this course. There may also be relevant events off-campus. I will announce presentations you can attend as I become aware of them. If you become aware of other events that may be appropriate, let me know. You must attend one presentation and turn in a reaction paper. While the deadline for presentation reactions is late in the semester, I strongly encourage you to submit your presentation reaction within a week of the event; your reflections will generally be clearer and stronger.Your presentation reaction should have the name of the presenter, the presentation title, and the date of the presentation.
Submit all of your reactions to me via Turnitin. Reaction papers are due by the beginning of class on the dates listed on the course schedule (see below). You are welcome to turn in reaction papers early.I will reply with extensive comments and a grade.
All reactions are worth 20 points each, and the five together count for 50% of your course grade. I grade reactions on the basis of 1) the clarity of your writing, 2) whether the content relates to the assigned material, 3) whether the paper is the appropriate length, 4) how well you articulate an opinion (as opposed to merely summarizing), and 5) how well you develop or back up your argument.
“Taking Sides” Discussions. I will divide you into ten (10) “Taking Sides” discussion groups. I will also hand out a form with guidelines and suggestions for approaching discussions with the Easton “Taking Sides” book. You will stay with your assigned discussion group throughout the semester. Following the course schedule, for each Taking Sides discussion, you will be assigned two readings in the Easton book for discussion on an environmental issue. The two readings will involve contrasting perspectives on a question. Take notes about the assumptions and logical fallacies in the articles, and any other issues they raise.
In class roughly once per week, you will meet with your Taking Sides discussion group. We will spend 10-15 minutes at the beginning of class so you can meet with your group to talk over the readings. I will then randomly pick two discussion groups to lead the discussion. They will have another 5 minutes to pick a presenter and to prepare. Those in the groups called but who aren’t presenting will serve as commentators. Both groups will then come to the front and lead the discussion. I will serve as moderator. The purpose of these discussions is NOT to have contentious debates or “put people on the spot.” We’re not going for TV ratings here. Instead, the point is to create a “safe space” for an open exchange of ideas about complex and difficult issues.This serves the important purposes of improving our critical thinking skills and better understanding other points of view. That said, you are invited and welcome to respectfully disagree with others (including me) in making your comments. You can even disagree with the reading you are to represent, though you still need to be able to articulate that author’s perspective. My concern is that people participate and contribute, not that they agree; respectful disagreement fosters everyone’s learning, including that of the professor.
Taking Sides discussions will work as follows. First, the presenter from each group will summarize the perspective portrayed in their article. Summaries should run about 3 minutes and emphasize the main points. I do not expect polished or exhaustive summaries. After both presentations, we will turn to the discussion. The non-presenters in the chosen discussion groups are responsible to comment on the issues raised; presenters are free to comment further if they choose. I expect all members of both groups called to be ready to address issues using material from the readings. In addition, all others in the class (including me) can make comments by posing questions, raising related issues, giving examples, elaborating on the articles, etc. I expect lively but respectful discussions. I will expect adherence to three key guidelines when making comments: Please be respectful.Please keep comments to one minute or less.Please do not interrupt other people when they are speaking.
Your group will be called twice during the course of the semester. You and your discussion group colleagues will each be assigned a grade out of 15 possible points. I will grade presenters for 1) volunteering (5 points) and 2) how well you present and cover the main points and perspective of your article (10 points). I will grade non-presenters for 1) being present (5 points), and 2) saying something that contributes to the discussion (10 points). I will send out general comments on specific discussions via e-mail and communicate discussion group grades individually via Turnitin. Group discussions are worth 15% of your course grade.
Quizzes. This course includes five (5) short quizzes, each worth 10 points, over material covered in previous classes. Quizzes will feature short-answer and short essay questions. Quizzes will cover material from lectures and the book by Carolan, but NOT the Easton book.
Attendance. I will not take daily attendance in this class. However, class time will feature group work and discussions, including many activities beyond the “Taking Sides” discussions. That means that attendance is very important. I therefore reserve the right to impose a 10-point attendance grade to any class session during the semester. I will then circulate an attendance form; attendees will get 10 points and those absent will get zero points. If attendance is high all semester, everybody gets 20 points toward their grade. Come and participate!
Extra Credit. For extra credit, you may write one (1) additional reaction for up to 10 points. The extra credit reaction should be 500+ words, and can respond either to lectures or your choice of media. To get extra credit, you must submit the EC reaction in the appropriate place in Turnitin. Criteria for grading of extra credit reactions are the same as for the other reaction papers. Extra credit reactions are due via Turnitin on the date indicated in the course schedule by class time.
Assignment of Grades.Based on your performance on the items just described, which sum to 200 possible points (not including the extra credit), I will assign letter grades as shown in the table below. Do not expect me to round up; 139.5 points is still a D+. I will not assign extra work beyond the extra credit option just described; it is up to you achieve the grade you seek. I do not use “minus” grades.
PointsPercentageLetterPointsPercentageLetter
180+90.0+A140-154.570.0-<77.5C
175-179.587.5-<90.0B+135-139.567.5-<70.0D+
160-174.580.0-<87.5B120-134.560.0-<67.5D
155-159.577.5-<80.0C+<119.5<60.0E
Course Policies
Missed Taking Sides Discussions.If you miss a Taking Sides discussion when your group is called, you must provide written documentation justifying your absence in order to do make-up work. If you know you’ll miss a discussion beforehand, you must notify me beforehand.
Late and Missed Assignments. I will not accept hard copy reaction papers. Submit them via Turnitin. I will not accept late reaction papers without written documentation justifying the tardiness.
Quizzes.I encourage you to study in groups for quizzes. If you miss a quiz,you must contact me within 24 hours and provide me written documentation justifying your absence. You must make up the quiz as soon after as possible. If you know you’ll miss a quiz beforehand, you must notify me beforehand.
University Policies and Services
Honesty:
As a result of completing the registration form at the University of Florida, every student has signed the following statement: "I understand that the University of Florida expects its students to be honest in all their academic work. I agree to adhere to this commitment to academic honesty and understand that my failure to comply with this commitment may result in disciplinary action up to and including expulsion from the University."
Turn in your own, original work! For this course I will be employing the software Turnitin which scans all work submitted to me by students for unoriginal in order to detect plagiarism. This software works VERY well because it scans billions of websites as well as previous assignments to compare content. I will make decisions about plagiarism based on data from Turnitin. I reserve the right to give no credit for work determined by Turnitin to have plagiarized. FOR YOUR SAKE, TURN IN YOUR OWN WORK.
Accommodation for students with disabilities:
Students requesting classroom accommodation must first register with the Dean of Students Office. The Dean of Students Office will provide documentation to the student who must then provide this documentation to the Instructor when requesting accommodation.
UF Counseling Services:
Resources are available on-campus for students having personal problems or lacking a clear career and academic goals which interfere with their academic performance. These resources include:
1. University Counseling Center, 392-1575, personal and career counseling;
2. Student Mental Health, Student Health Care Center, 392-1575, personal counseling;
3. Center for Sexual Assault/Abuse, Student Health Care Center, 392-1161, sexual counseling;
4. Career Resource Center, Reitz Union, 392-1601, career development assistance and counseling.
~ TENTATIVE COURSE SCHEDULE ~
ENVIRONMENT AND SOCIETY
Meeting DateTopic(s)Readings, Assignments, Due Dates, etc.
Wed, 4 JanIntroduction, SyllabusNO READINGS
Fri, 6 JanEnvironmental Problems, part 1Carolan, Chapter 1
Mon, 9 JanEnvironmental Problems, part 2Carolan, Chapter 13 pp. 253-262 only
Wed, 11 JanPopulation, part 1Carolan, begin Chapter 6
Fri, 13 JanDISCUSSION 1: PopulationEaston, Issue 13
Mon, 16 JanNO CLASS, MLK DAYNO READINGS
Wed, 18 JanPopulation, part 2Carolan, finish Chapter 6
Fri, 20 JanFood, part 1Carolan, begin Chapter 8
QUIZ #1
Mon, 23 JanDISCUSSION 2: Organic FarmingEaston, Issue 15
Wed, 25 JanFood, part 2Carolan, finish Chapter 8
La Via Campesina Video
Course Content Reaction #1 Assigned
Fri, 27 JanWater, part 1Carolan, begin Chapter 5
GRU Residential Ratesschedule