MODULE SPECIFICATION

  1. Title of the module

SE610 Human Ecology: an Introduction to Social-Ecological Systems

  1. School or partner institution which will be responsible for management of the module

School of Anthropology and Conservation

  1. The level of the module (e.g. Level 4, Level 5, Level 6 or Level 7)

Level 5

  1. The number of credits and the ECTS value which the module represents

15 credits (7.5 ECTS)

  1. Which term(s) the module is to be taught in (or other teaching pattern)

Autumn

  1. Prerequisite and co-requisite modules

Prerequisite: (SE308) Skills for Anthropology and Conservation

  1. The programmes of study to which the module contributes

BA in Environmental Social Science

BSc in Human Ecology

BSc in Wildlife Conservation

BA Social Anthropology

  1. The intended subject specific learning outcomes.
    On successfully completing the module students will be able to:

8.1 Understand the relationship between society and nature from the starting point of Human Ecology in general and social-ecological systems research in particular;

8.2 Contextualise social-ecological systems research with respect to wider developments in environmentalism, environmental policy and integrated approaches to natural resource management

8.3 Critically assess current evidence of environmental change and scenarios for the future and their relationship to scientific and policy agendas for sustainability

8.4 Evaluate the roles of market, states and civil society action in promoting sustainable use of environmental assets in a range of habitat and decision making contexts

  1. The intended generic learning outcomes.
    On successfully completing the module students will be able to:

9.1 Understand and evaluate how scientific evidence is presented and used in an applied (policy development and practice) context;

9.2 Understand the utility of theory for revealing and testing assumptions about how the world works and the implications and practical consequences of these assumptions;

9.3 Synthesise group understanding and perspectives of an issue in a visual format and within this to communicate effectively with others in figuring out solutions to complex problems;

9.4 Gather and assess relevant information to interpret complex problems and develop a critical and defensible written argument about them

  1. A synopsis of the curriculum

The aim of this module is to introduce students to recent developments in natural resource management focused on the ideas of natural capital, ecosystem services and sustainable landscape management and thus a module set firmly with the socio-ecological tradition of human ecology. The module will trace the traditions of this gradual harmonisation of resource management discourse and how it plays out conceptually, empirically and at the interface of environmental science, policy and practice. The module will also set this tradition in a critical frame, drawing back to underlying assumptions about the idea of nature, and the relationship between nature, economy, human development and well-being. It will also have a practical edge by covering issues of environmental citizenship and the ethical, procedural and practical rationales that underpin different forms and levels of engagement in environmental decision making.

  1. Reading List (Indicative list, current at time of publication. Reading lists will be published annually)
Adams, W.M. 2014. The Value of Valuing Nature. Science. 346: 549-551.

Berkes, F., Colding, J. and Folke, C. 2003. Navigating Social Ecological Systems: Building Resilience for Complexity and Change. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK

Biggs, R., Westley, F. R., & Carpenter, S. R. (2010). Navigating the Back Loop : Fostering Social Innovation and Transformation in Ecosystem Management. Ecology and Society, 15(2).

Daily, G (1997) Nature’s Services: Societal Dependence on Natural Ecosystems: Island Presss

De Groot, R. S., Wilson, M. A., & Boumans, R. M. (2002). A Typology for the Classification, Description and Valuation of Ecosystem Functions, Goods and Services. Ecological Economics, 41(3), 393-408.

Fisher, Brendan, R. Kerry Turner, and Paul Morling. "Defining and Classifying Ecosystem Services for Decision Making." Ecological Economics 68.3 (2009): 643-653.

Gómez-Baggethun, E., & Ruiz-Pérez, M. (2011). Economic Valuation and the Commodification of Ecosystem Services. Progress in Physical Geography, 35(5), 613-628.

MA, 2005. Ecosystems and Human Well‐being: Synthesis, Washington, DC.

Mace, G.M. 2014. Whose conservation? Science. 345: 1558-1560

Ostrom, E. (2009). A General Framework for AnalyzingSustainability of Social‐Ecological Systems. Science (New York, N.Y.), 325(5939), 419–22.

Scheffer, Martin, Carpenter, S., Foley, J. a, Folke, C., & Walker, B. (2001). Catastrophic Shifts in Ecosystems. Nature, 413(6856), 591–6.

Scheffer, Marten, Bascompte, J., Brock, W. a, Brovkin, V., Carpenter, S. R., Dakos, V., Held, H., et al. (2009). Early‐Warning Signals for Critical Transitions. Nature, 461(7260), 53–9.

Walker, B., Gunderson, L., Kinzig, A., Folke, C., Carpenter, S., & Schultz, L. (2006). A Handful of Heuristics and Some Propositions for Understanding Resilience in Social‐Ecological Systems. Ecology and Society, 11(1).

  1. Learning and Teaching methods

The module amounts to 150 hours of study with 22contact hours, divided between 10 x 1 hour lectures and 9 x 1 hour seminars and 1 x 3 hour seminar

The purpose of the lectures is to summarise core issues in social-ecological systems research and policy. The seminars provide a context to deepen and clarify understanding of lecture themes through group discussion and group based tasks, as well as to facilitate understanding and delivery of different components of assessment.

There are 128 Private hours for this module. This comprises:

  • Reading of assigned papers for Seminars 2-9 @ 5 hours a seminar = 40 hours
  • Group work (c.5 people) to underpin the creation of a group poster and presentation: 4 x 3 hours = 12 hours
  • Individual essay preparation: 26 hours
  • Exam preparation: 50 hours
  1. Assessment methods.

Assessment is by coursework (50% of overall marks) and Exam (50% of overall marks)

  • 2 hour written exam(50%) assessing theoretical and applied understanding of social-ecological systems research in an essay based and short answer format
  • A Group Poster (10%) –The Social-Ecological System of 2065: Poster encompasses group derived visions and scenarios of the future and an outline of steps to affect positive change across state, business and civil society. Students will be marked as a group
  • A Group Presentation (10%) – A 15 minute presentation of the key attributes of the group derived visions and scenarios. Students will be marked as a group
  • An Essay (30%) - A 2000 word essay on directed set of questions
  1. Map of Module Learning Outcomes (sections 8 & 9) to Learning and Teaching Methods (section12) and methods of Assessment (section 13)

Module learning outcome / 8.1 / 8.2 / 8.3 / 8.4 / 9.1 / 9.2 / 9.3 / 9.4
Learning/ teaching method / Hours allocated
Private Study / 128 / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Lectures / 10 / X / X / X / X / X / X
Seminar / 12 / X / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Assessment method
Exam / X / X / X / X / X / X / X
Group Poster / X / X / X / X / X
Group Presentation / X / X / X / X / X
Essay / X / X / X / X / X
  1. The School recognises and has embedded the expectations of current disability equality legislation, and supports students with a declared disability or special educational need in its teaching. Within this module we will make reasonable adjustments wherever necessary, including additional or substitute materials, teaching modes or assessment methods for students who have declared and discussed their learning support needs. Arrangements for students with declared disabilities will be made on an individual basis, in consultation with the University’s disability/dyslexiastudent support service, and specialist support will be provided where needed.
  1. Campus(es) or Centre(s) where module will be delivered:

Canterbury

FACULTIES SUPPORT OFFICE USE ONLY

Revision record – all revisions must be recorded in the grid and full details of the change retained in the appropriate committee records.

Date approved / Major/minor revision / Start date of the delivery of revised version / Section revised / Impacts PLOs( Q6&7 cover sheet)

1

Module Specification Template (September 2015)