Political Ecology - Land Use and Natural Resources in a Local to Global Perspective
Equally central, but less often acknowledged, are issues of power and political systems, and the processes in time and space that affect them. Is the market economy a stimulus for local agricultural development? Does it promote a sustainable use of natural resources? Or is it a threat to local provisioning and security? How is income from agriculture distributed within society, e.g. between men and women, and between urban and rural areas? Who owns the rights and/or the power to define what is a sustainable versus a non-sustainable use of natural resources? Researchers in developed countries? The UN? A local political elite? Local communities?
The course covers the use of land and other natural resources at local to global scales, from both a theoretical and a practical perspective. The theoretical block presents the emergence and development of political ecology within research, and includes comparisons with other scientific perspective on land use and natural resource management (e.g. geographic landscape analysis and resilience theory).
Another key element of the course is case studies, where examples of communities' use of land and water resources are analyzed both from a physical and human geographical perspective. The course provides skills highly relevant in a dynamic and growing multi-disciplinary research approach, where political ecology is discussed in relation to other scientific perspectives. The course provides knowledge about natural resource management in relation to a problematization of key issues pertaining to environmental processes and provisioning.
The course moreover provides insights in environmental, historical and social conditions of importance for sustainable natural resource use at different spatial and temporal scale levels. The course finally provides exercises in applying political-ecological theories and methods in the analysis of land use issues. These and many other topical and future key issues are dealt with within political ecology.
Modules
- Theory and Methods, 10 credits
- Project, 5 credits
Teaching Format
The education consists of lectures, seminars, exercises and project work.
Assessment
For details see syllabus.
Plagiarism and regulations for disciplinary matters
As a student you must be conscientious about clearly accounting for the material used in the texts that are submitted for examination. To use another person’s expressions or ideas without stating the source is plagiarism. To translate and/or change some words in someone else’s text and present it as your own is also a form of plagiarism. Plagiarism is considered cheating and if discovered in an exam or paper, the exam or paper will be failed immediately and disciplinary measures may be taken.
Any student who is caught cheating or disrupting academic activities may be suspended from lectures and exams for a period of up to six months. The Vice Chancellor or the Disciplinary Council decide whether the student is to be subject to any disciplinary measures.
The link to Stockholm University's guidelines for disciplinary matters and expulsion can be found on the website:
During your studies/Plagiarism and regulations for disciplinary matters
Examiner
Annika Dahlberg and Andrew Byerley
Registration is normally done at the beginning of each semester.
Course responsible
Annika Dahlberg
E-mail: annika.dahlberg@natgeo.su.se
Andrew Byerley
E-mail: andrew.byerley@humangeo.su.se
Study counsellor, student office and other contacts
