Module 2 Gender and the Environment

The Heller School for Social Policy and Management, Brandeis University

MA in Sustainable International Development Program

HS224f – Gender and the Environment

Fall 2016Module I: Wednesday9:00a.m. –11:50 a.m.

Prof. Cristina Espinosa

Office: Heller 159 - Office hours: upon request

Description

This module introduces students to the field of gender and the environment, examining the relevance of gender for environmental conservation and for sustainable resources management, whichrequire social sustainability. This module will explore the different ways gender has been conceptualized and integrated within environmental conservation and within sustainable development interventions, and the limits of different approaches.This module will heavily rely on students’ participation. Students are expected to come prepared to class, having read the assigned readings and identified key ideas, facts and concepts and being ready to present them and discuss in class.

Learning objectives:

By the end of this module, students will:

Be familiar with key notions related to nature conservation and the role of socio-economic factors in this process
Understand the importance of gender in environmental conservation and sustainable development
Be able to discuss the meanings of development, sustainable development and nature conservation and how they relate to gender issues and vice versa
Be able to identify specific approaches such as eco-feminism, feminist political ecology andWED, their theoretical and methodological assumptions,limits, potentials and implications in terms of policy, program and projects
Have a broader view of how different dimensions of gender and the natural environment interact in different geographies and cultures around the world, understanding the challenges associated with mainstreaming gender within sustainable development and conservation interventions
Be able to express their own ideas orally and in written and use facts, concepts and theories to debate important issues related to gender and the environment.
Have experience organizing group presentations, leading group discussion and preparing group reports on the practical aspects of gender & conservation

Learning Outcomes:

Understand the socio-economic contexts for conservation and sustainable development and key concepts to address gender within environmental conservation
Contrast different approaches like WID/GAD as applied to environmental issues
Become familiar with some of the tools available to integrate gender into environmental issues
Be aware of the complexities and challenges to integrate gender equity within development and identify key issues to be addressed

Course Requirements

Full and timely attendance is required for students enrolled in this class. Prior to each session, students are expected to have read assigned readings and to come to class prepared for discussion. In addition to read, students must identify key concepts and be ready to present and discuss them in class.

Students are required to timely submit their weekly assignments as stated in this syllabus for at least three sessions (a print-out copy delivered at the beginning of the class). Final assignments will include group presentations and group papers. The final grade will be calculated as follows: weekly assignments 25% class participation in discussion: 10%; group presentations: 30%; final paper: 35%.

Full and timely attendance is required for students enrolled in this class. Prior to each session, students are expected to come prepared to class, having read the assigned readings and identified key ideas, facts and concepts as well as what is not clear in the readings, what issues and questions these readings suggest to them and being ready to share these questions with the class.

Students are required to timely submit the following assignments:

A)All students have to submit two reading comprehension assignments based on the questions provided for the required readings each week, as presented in this syllabus. Students must select three out of the six sessions to write these assignments, and should choose two out of the several questions provided for each session, making sure NOT to select two questions for the same readings. A print out copy of this assignment is to be delivered in class BEFORE each chosen session. Please note that these assignments are about reading comprehension, to make sure the main concepts presented in the required readings are well grasped and presented in the student’s own wording. These assignments should be no longer than 2 pages (preferable single spaced and printed in both sides, avoiding any waste of paper, like cover page). Opportunities for opinion and analysis are provided for students during class discussion and in the other assignments. This is about making sure you present the key issues and concepts from each selected author.

B)Students are encouraged to bring to each session a question they want the class discussion to focus (it can be about clarifying a topic or concept, some confusion in the reading or some issue the reading raises for her/him). The idea is to give students opportunities to stir the class discussion in the direction they feel is important, in order to make the class relevant to their particular needs and interests.

C)The nature of final assignments, such as student group presentation, individual or group paper or exam will vary according to the size of the class and be announced in class once the number of students enrolled in the class is confirmed.

The final grade will be calculated based on class participation in discussion (25%), two weekly assignments (35%) individual/group presentations and/or final paper or final exam (40%). Specifics will be announced once the number of students enrolled is confirmed.

Students should know this course provides a safe space for all of us to express our opinions and express disagreements, to contrast different ideas in a safe environment of respect and tolerance. We are all expected to maintain cordial and collegial interactions in class. Originality, seriousness and honesty are required during class discussion and when preparing assignments. While the course invites students to think critically and “digest” concepts and theory, students need to demonstrate they have a good understanding of the concepts and approaches presented in the readings.

Academic honesty

Students are expected to be honest in all their academic work. The university policy on academic honesty is distributed annually as section 5 of the Rights and Responsibilities handbook. Instances of alleged dishonesty are subject to possible judicial action. Potential actions include failure of the course and suspension from the University. Academic integrity is central to the mission of educational excellence at Brandeis University. Each student is expected to turn in work completed independently, except when assignments specifically authorize collaborative effort. It is not acceptable to use the words or ideas of another person –be it a world-class philosopher or your roommate –without proper acknowledge; you must use footnotes and quotations marks to indicate the source of phrases, sentences, paragraphs or ideas found in published volumes, internet or expressed by another student. Consult the instructor if you need clarification on this topic.

Required Readings will be available at LATTE

This class will meet on Aug 31, September 7, 14, 21, 28 And October 5 and 13 (exam).

Sessions, topics, required readings & assignments

The course is structured around the following topics. For the final assignments, students will choose oneof these topics for an exploration of the issues with the assistance of a case study analysis:

Gender & Forestry/Agro-forestry
Gender & Water Management (Wetlands, Watersheds, Water Use/Distribution)
Gender & Climate Change
Gender & Biodiversity (wildlife/agro-biodiversity)

Session #1

An introduction to gender and the social dimensions of conservation and sustainable development. This session aims to facilitate an understanding of the importance of nature for humans, to understand how gender and social hierarchies shape different interactions between humans and nature and to review how gender have been addressed within main UN environmental conventions. A group exercise will help to brainstorm about the different interactions peoplehave with the natural environment and how this changes for specific contexts and for specific social groups. This session will provide students with an overview of the links between gender and the environment.

Required Reading:

Espinosa, M.C. 2004. Unveiling Differences, Finding a Balance. Social Gender Analysis for Designing Projects on Community-Based Management of Natural Resources. Quito-Gland: IUCN Publications. Section1 (pages 1-29)
Lambrou Yianna. 2005. Gender Perspectives on the Conventions: Biodiversity, Climate Change and Desertification.” Gender and Development Service, FAO Gender and Population Division. Rome.
Espinosa, C. 2016. Slides

Case Study:

Isla, Ana. 2001. Women and Sustainable Development in the Costa Rican Rainforest: Questioning the Politics of Corporate Environmentalism.” Women & Environments Fall 2001

Videos:

Reflections on Courage: Women and the Environment –Papua Guinea
West Virginia women win Goldman Prize for Environmental activism against coal mines in the Appalachian
Introducing Women Earth Alliance (

Women, poverty land tenure issues.

Guiding Questions:

According to Espinosa, 2004, how does socio-economic differentiation affect the participation of local populations and the effectiveness of conservation interventions? What is the concept of equitable sharing of costs and benefits presented in this context?
What is the notion of livelihoods presented in Espinosa, 2004 why is that individual access to and use of natural resources is always socially defined? What is the importance of the division of labor by age and gender and how this affects livelihoods and use of natural resources?
What is the importance of culture and ethnicity in regard to access, use and control of natural resources? How culture and ethnicity intersect with gender?What is the role of age and seniority in regard to natural resources management? How they intersect with gender?
What are the five dimensions of gender affecting natural resource management What are the seven main contributions of Gender Social Analysis for conservation interventions as presented in Section 1 of Espinosa, 2004?
What are the common gender issues in rural livelihoods presented by Lambrau, 2005, and what important gender issues she presents in relations to biodiversity, climate change and desertification?
What major differences in the way gender mainstreaming has been advanced in the different global conventions addressing biodiversity, climate change and desertification are presented by Lambrau 2005, and what major common challenges?
What negative impacts on gender and livelihoods are highlighted by Isla (2001) for the case of the Arenal Project in Costa Rica (part of the Canada/Costa Rica Debt-for-Nature-Investment that is aimed at conserving biodiversity)? What do we learn from this analysis in terms of gender and livelihoods?

Assignment: Please select two questions –each one from different reading and submit your written response at the beginning of the session in class (no more than 2 pages).

Session #2:

Gender & Forestry: Why Gender Matters?

This session aims to facilitate an understanding of why forest conservations is important for people and for sustainable development, of how forests have different uses according to gender, class, ethnicity and so on and why gender matters for sustainable and equitable forest management. We will review notions like biomes and ecosystems and ecosystem functions before addressing the links between gender and forest management using IUCN fct sheets and Agarwal (2000) analysis of the Himalayan Community-based forest management in the Himalayan region (India and Nepal).

Required Readings

Agarwal, Bina. 2000. Conceptualizing Environmental Collective Action: Why Gender Matters. Cambridge Journal of Economics 24 (3): 283-310
Fact Sheet: IUCN 2005. Reforestation, Aforestation, Deforestation, Climate Change and Gender.
Fact Sheet: IUCN 2005. Forestry. Gender makes a Difference
Case Study for class discussion: Isla, Ana. 2001. Women and Sustainable Development in the Costa Rican Rainforest: Questioning the Politics of Corporate Environmentalism.” Women and Environment Fall 2001 Page 30-31

Video:

Women are to gender what trees are to forests Kiran Asher CIFOR
If women governed forests Bina Agarwal Who makes the change?
On agroforestry in the Brazilian Amazon: Gender livelihoods & tenure issues

Guiding Questions for Required Readings

According to Agarwal (2000), why is it important to understand the differences between formal and informal participation and organization when it comes to gender and natural resource management?
According to Agarwal (2000) why is that women’s social support networks are different from men, more important for women and more permeable across class /social lines and more distant from local power nexuses and what implications this have for natural resources management?
How do the different entitlements women have in regard to natural resources affected the role of women informal organizations in protecting the forests, as presented by Agarwal (2000)?
According to Agarwal (2000) what different assessments on forest management can results from including or not a gender analysis? What are the consequences of gender-blindness in Community-based Forest Management, based on her case study of the Himalayan community-based forests?
What are the links between gender, forest conservation and climate change, as presented in the 2005 IUCN Fact Sheets?

Weekly Assignment:

Pleaseselect two questions –each one from different reading and submit your written response at the beginning of the session in class(no more than 2 pages).

Videos:

Session #3

Gender & Water Management: the implications of privatization of water

This session aims to facilitate an understanding of the changes in global governance and policies affecting water management in developing countries, of the concept of gendered livelihoods and how it relates to the multiple uses of water and will use case studies to explore the complexity associated with gender and water management. Before exploring the links between gender and water management, we will review the notion of water as a finite resource, the natural water cycle to briefly address the impact of changes in marine and terrestrial ecosystems on this cycle and highlight the water crisis in developing countries. Policy changes brought by the 1992 Dublin Conference will be discussed to understand the way water is considered now as an economic good. Notions like gendered livelihoods, multiple uses of water, “participation” and women’s role in water management will be discussed. We will contextualize gender and water management within contemporary global challenges to development, such as privatization of natural resources as elements that prevent the achievement of sustainable livelihoods and fair access to resources.

Required Readings:

Cleaver, Francis. 1998. Choice, Complexity, and Change: Gendered Livelihoods and the

Management of Water. Agricultural and Human Values 15: 293-299

Khosla, Prabha and Rebecca Pearl. 2003. Untapped Connections: Gender, Water and Poverty: Key Issues, Government Commitments and Actions for Sustainable Development. WEDO.
Fact Sheet: Gender Water Alliance. 2003. Gender Water and the Environment (4 pages)

Questions for Required Readings:

What important shifts in global governance occurred in the 1990s in regard to water management and what is its rational according to Cleaver (1998), for instance the commoditization of water?
What is the problem with the approach focused on “women involvement” in water management that does not recognize the cost of women involvement? What else is missing in this approach?
What are the connections between gender, poverty and water management, as presented by Khosla and Pearl, 2003?
What gender differences in the use and management of water are presented by Khosla and Pearl, 2003?
According to Khosla and Pearl, 2003 and to the Gender and Water Alliance, 2003, how has privatization of water use affected poor families and women in particular? What is the agenda they propose to overcome this problem?

Weekly Assignment:

Please select two questions –each one from different reading and submit your written response at the beginning of the session in class (no more than 2 pages).

Case Studies for Class Discussion:

Kenya. Gender Differences in Community Water Management. Machakos
Indonesia: The Impact of Women’s Participation in the Aqua-Danone Advocacy Programme – A Case Study in Klaten District, Central Java
Case Study of Different stakeholder interests in regard to water use in the Felidia, Valle, Colombia