From megadroughts and sea level rise to heatwaves, wildfires and species loss, climate change affects us all. However, the felt impacts of climate change, and climate policies, are unevenly distributed along the lines of race, class, gender, and ethnicity, with growing recognition that increased convergence between social and environmental policy is essential to achieving equitable climate action. This module explores some of the key conceptual and analytical issues in the study of climate justice, examining how global climate change both emerges from and reinforces historically inequitable power relations. It also explores the intersections between climate change and the various domains of social policy, recognising that the climate crisis requires a whole systems, multisectoral response. Contemporary case studies are drawn from countries across the globe to illustrate these key debates, with an emphasis on historically marginalised communities.
Learning Outcomes
By the end of the module students should be able to:
Understand the key historical and contemporary drivers for global environmental changes
Identify and evaluate key analytical issues in debates concerning climate justice and social policy
Have knowledge of the ways in which climate impacts are felt unevenly across different groups
Critically apply these debates to substantive case studies on the climate crisis
Assessment
Assessment Methods & Exceptions
Assessment: 2500 word essay (80%); Group presentation (10 minutes) (20%)
Reassessment: 2500 word essay (80%) 1000 word written reflection of the group presentation (20%)
