Masters in Cognition and Human Evolution

SUBJECT DESCRIPTION

Details

Subject

Name of subject:Human Impact on the Transformation of the Ecosystem

Code: 10030

Type:Obligatory for students in the Anthropology pathway.Optional for others.

Level:Postgraduate

Language:Spanish

Teaching staff

Subject leader

Name:Joaquín Valdivielso NavarroContact:

Pre-requisites:

Number of ECTS credits:

Contact hours:10 hours of work in class.20 hours of virtual class.

Independent study hours: 95

Key terms:

Study of the impact produced by humans on the ecosystem, its historical, sociological, ecological and psychological dimensions.

Aims

Specific:

  • Understand the historical, ecological, sociological and psychological dimensions of interaction between humans and the natural environment.
  • Ability to update knowledge.Knowledge of bibliographical sources and other available resources.
  • Develop literature search skills.
  • Ability to write academic works of a publishable quality.
  • Ability to present and defend own work.

General:

  • Understand, analyse, relate and express information
  • Encourage interdisciplinary conceptual and practical work.
  • Communicate, be assertive, cooperate
  • Develop interpretative and critical and hermeneutic skills.
  • Develop ability to present knowledge gained.

Content

  1. Human ecology and the history of ecology.
  2. Ecological change and pre-agricultural anthropomorphisation.
  3. First great transition:agriculture and the collapse of the great civilisations.
  4. Second great transition:industrial revolution and technological revolutions.
  5. Industrial metabolism.
  6. Indicators of strong and weak sustainability.
  7. Kuznets’ environmental curve and theory of dematerialisation.
  8. Analysis of metabolic flows:disconnection without dematerialisation.
  9. Social perception of environmental problems.
  10. Rational choice and “tragedy of the commons”.
  11. “Permissive consensus” and social selection of risks.
  12. Typology and construction of environmental discourses.
  13. Environment and social structure.
  14. “Second contradiction” of industrial society.
  15. Reflexive modernisation and risk society.
  16. Theory of consumer classes and post-material values.
  17. Theories of ecological and social conflict.
  18. Political realism of the TorontoSchool.
  19. Historical materialism and ecologism of the poor.

5.3. Consensual and constructivist approach.

Methods and student work plan

Subject aims / Learning methods / Type of group / Independent study hours / Contact hours
Understand most recurrent controversies in human ecology. / Tutor presentation in class. / Whole group / 25 / 25
Promotion of conceptual interdisciplinary work.Understand, analyse and communicate information. / TutorialChoice of area, literature search and supervision of practical work. / Independent and in small groups. / 5 / 10
Develop literature search skills. / LaboratoryLiterature search in the library and databases. / Independent and in small groups. / 10
Ability to update knowledge.Develop interpretative and critical and hermeneutic skills. / Study of theory / Individual reading / 40
Ability to write academic works of a publishable quality. / Practical workPrepare activities for preparation of practical work. / Independent and in small groups. / 40
Develop ability to present knowledge gained.Communicate, be assertive, cooperate / Presentation and commentary in group of practical work. / Whole group / 5 / 5

Learning agreement and assessment criteria and instruments

Assessment criteria:

  • Adequate understanding of the main theoretical issues in the various social dimensions of interaction between man and the natural environment.
  • Assimilate conceptual knowledge of authors and schools studied.
  • Propose a research topic.
  • Elaborate and defend a piece of research.
  • Criticise and analyse in theoryclasses and presentations of practical work.

Assessment instruments:

  • Use of knowledge in class.
  • Use of knowledge gained individually and collectively n elaborating practical work.
  • Logical coherence, terminological rigour and formal correction in practical work.
  • Rigour in presenting practical work.
  • Contribution in presentation of work.

Assessment criteria:

  • Contribution in class (40%)
  • Following tutorials (10%)
  • Practical work (50%)

Is assessment organised by means of a learning agreement?No

Material for independent study and recommended reading.

Virtual lectures via Campus Extens Moodle.Recommended reading:

Valdivielso, J., “El ser natural humano.Ecologismo, marxismo y socialismo”, in press, 2006

-“Neutralidad e integridad científica en el caso Lomborg:Trasfondo normativo y paradigma científico”, in press, 2006.

-“Las relaciones entre la justicia y el medio ambiente”, in press, 2006.

Bibliography, resources and appendices

Beck, U. (1998):La sociedad del riesgo.Hacia una nueva modernidad, Barcelona:Paidós.

Crosby, A., (1988):Imperialismo ecológico.La expansión de Europa 900-1900, Barcelona, Crítica.

Diehl P. F. and Gleditsch n.p (eds.)(2000), Environmental Conflict, Oxford, Westview.

Fisher-Kowalski, M. (1997):“Society´s metabolism:on the childhood and adolescence of a rising conceptual star”, in M. Redclift i G. Woodgate (eds.), The International Handbook of Environmental Sociology, Edward Elgar, London, pp. 119-137.

García, E., (2004)Medio ambiente y sociedad.La civilización industrial y los límites del planeta, Madrid, Alianza.

Georgescu-Roegen, N., (1996):La ley de la entropía y el proceso económico.Madrid, Argentaria-Visor.

González de Molina, M. (1993):Historia y Medio Ambiente, Eudema, Madrid.

Hardin, G. (1968):“The Tragedy of the Commons”, Science, 162, pp. 1243-1248.

Hughes, J. (2000):Ecology and Historical Materialism, Cambridge U. P.

Jacobs, M., (1996):La economía verde.Medio ambiente, desarrollo sostenible y la política del futuro.Madrid, Icaria.

Martínez Alier, J. (2002):Environmentalism of the poor, Cheltenham, Edward Elgar

Naredo, J.M. and Valero, A. (dirs.) (1999): Desarrollo económico y deterioro ecológico, Madrid, Fundación Argentaria/Visor.

Peñuelas, J. (1988):De la biosfera a la antroposfera, Barcanova, Barcelona.

Ponting, C. (1991):A Green History of the World.The Environment and the Collapse of Great Civilizations, New York, Penguin.

Sempere, J. and J. Riechmann (2000):Sociología y medio ambiente, Madrid, Síntesis.

Tábara, J. D., (1996):La percepció dels problemes del medi ambient, Barcelona, Beta.

Wackernagel, M. and W. Rees, (2001):Nuestra huella ecológica.Reduciendo el impacto humano sobre la Tierra, Ediciones LOM/ Instituto de Ecología Política, Santiago de Chile.

Journals:Global Environmental Change, Ecological Economics, Environment Development and Sustainability, Environmental Hazards, Population and Environment

Link to the subject learning plan

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