AIP245 - Environmental Politics

Unit details

Year

2025 unit information

Enrolment modes:Trimester 2: Burwood (Melbourne), Online
Credit point(s):1
EFTSL value:0.125
Unit Chair:Trimester 2: Peter Ferguson
Prerequisite:

Nil

Corequisite:Nil
Incompatible with: Nil
Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - on-campus unit enrolment:

1 x 1-hour on-campus lecture per week

1 x 1-hour on-campus seminar per week

Educator-facilitated (scheduled) learning activities - online unit enrolment:

1 x 1-hour online lecture per week (recordings provided)

1 x 1-hour online seminar per week

Typical study commitment:

Students will on average spend 150-hours over the teaching period undertaking the teaching, learning and assessment activities for this unit.

This will include educator guided online learning activities within the unit site.

Content

Environmental problems, such as climate change, constitute one of the biggest policy challenges facing governments around the world. The difficulty which many states, including Australia, have had in implementing effective policy responses to this environmental challenge is one of the key political puzzles of the twenty first century. This unit explores the ways in which state, non-state and international organisations understand environmental problems and the diverse policy actions that have been proposed and/or taken in response. Five main themes are covered. These are: the unique challenge environmentalism poses to existing political ideologies and forms of political organisation; the relationship between the economy and environment; globalisation and the environment; international environmental politics; and the politics of climate change. These themes highlight both continuities and discontinuities with existing local, national and global political structures created by environmental problems. A range of specific issues such as sustainable development, carbon trading, consumption, environmental justice and the environmental implications of economic growth, trade and finance are also explored, using Australian and international case studies.

Learning Outcomes

ULO These are the Unit Learning Outcomes (ULOs) for this unit. At the completion of this unit, successful students can:

Alignment to Deakin Graduate Learning Outcomes (GLOs)

ULO1

Review and analyse major theoretical, conceptual, and policy debates about environmental issues, and locate these within wider national and international political contexts

GLO1: Discipline-specific knowledge and capabilities

ULO2

Effectively communicate the findings and analyses of research on environmental politics that deploys political concepts, theories and technical knowledge in different written formats

GLO2: Communication

ULO3

Analyse and critically evaluate different interpretations of environmental issues and policy responses

GLO4: Critical thinking

ULO4

Generate and evaluate solutions to complex problems of environmental politics and governance at the national, regional, and global levels

GLO5: Problem solving

Assessment

Assessment Description Student output Grading and weighting
(% total mark for unit)
Indicative due week
Assessment 1: Report 1500 words
or equivalent
40% Information not yet available
Assessment 2: Essay 2500 words
or equivalent
60% Information not yet available

The assessment due weeks provided may change. The Unit Chair will clarify the exact assessment requirements, including the due date, at the start of the teaching period.

Learning resource

The texts and reading list for AIP245 can be found via the University Library.

Note: Select the relevant trimester reading list. Please note that a future teaching period's reading list may not be available until a month prior to the start of that teaching period so you may wish to use the relevant trimester's prior year reading list as a guide only.

Unit Fee Information

Fees and charges vary depending on the type of fee place you hold, your course, your commencement year, the units you choose to study and their study discipline, and your study load.

Tuition fees increase at the beginning of each calendar year and all fees quoted are in Australian dollars ($AUD). Tuition fees do not include textbooks, computer equipment or software, other equipment or costs such as mandatory checks, travel and stationery.

Estimate your fees

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