Students
GEOP3000 – Environmental Justice in the Anthropocene
2021 – Session 1, Fully online/virtual
Notice
As part of Phase 3 of our return to campus plan, most units will now run tutorials, seminars and other small group activities on campus, and most will keep an online version available to those students unable to return or those who choose to continue their studies online.
To check the availability of face-to-face and online activities for your unit, please go to timetable viewer. To check detailed information on unit assessments visit your unit's iLearn space or consult your unit convenor.
General Information
Download as PDF
| Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Convenor
Andrew McGregor
Contact via email
Lecturer
Jessica McLean
Contact via email
|
|---|---|
| Credit points |
Credit points
10
|
| Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
130cp
|
| Corequisites |
Corequisites
|
| Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
|
| Unit description |
Unit description
The Anthropocene is a proposed new geological epoch in which humanity is driving planetary change. This unit explores how environmental decision making and planning processes can be made more just in the context of the Anthropocene. It draws on perspectives from environmental justice, a field of research and activism focused on addressing the social and geographic inequities associated with environmental change. Environmental justice highlights how responsibility for, and the burdens of, environmental degradation are unevenly distributed across space and scale, and divided between and within social categories such as race, class, gender, ethnicity and species. Environmental justice and decision-making are analysed through a series of case studies that are presented by academic staff and environmental professionals. An important component of the unit focuses on developing analytical and practical skills for pursuing environmental justice, which requires the ability to synthesise geographic information from the social and physical sciences and engage with multiple stakeholders, decision making tools, and forms of communication. The unit makes the relationships between justice and environment more visible in a world of rapid environmental change and provides pathways and tools for pursuing more just and resilient futures. |
Important Academic Dates
Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.mq.edu.au/study/calendar-of-dates
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
- ULO1: Assess environmental decisions or plans using environmental justice concepts or frameworks
- ULO2: Synthesise geographic information from the social and physical sciences to identify environmental justice issues
- ULO3: Describe and explain common environmental injustices associated with contemporary forms of socioecological change
- ULO4: Investigate and appreciate diverse stakeholder perspectives using environmental justice tools and concepts to improve environmental decision-making
- ULO5: Argue for improved environmental justice outcomes in a variety of written and spoken forms
General Assessment Information
Unless a Special Consideration request has been submitted and approved, (a) a penalty for lateness will apply – two (2) marks out of 100 will be deducted per day for assignments submitted after the due date – and (b) no assignment will be accepted more than seven (7) days (incl. weekends) after the original submission deadline. No late submissions will be accepted for timed assessments – e.g. quizzes, online tests. The criteria and standards for each assignment will be made available via iLearn.
Assessment Tasks
| Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
|---|---|---|---|
| Environmental Justice Assessment Report | 40% | No | 4 June 2021 |
| Team based learning task | 20% | No | Weeks 4, 6, 11 |
| Environmental Justice Essay | 20% | No | 30 April 2021 |
| Tutorial participation task | 20% | No | All semester |
Environmental Justice Assessment Report
Assessment Type 1: Report
Indicative Time on Task 2: 50 hours
Due: 4 June 2021
Weighting: 40%
Students are required to write a report that assesses a recent or upcoming environmental decision or plan from the perspective of environmental justice. The report is to be written as a brief for an environmental justice organisation (2500 words).
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Assess environmental decisions or plans using environmental justice concepts or frameworks
- Investigate and appreciate diverse stakeholder perspectives using environmental justice tools and concepts to improve environmental decision-making
- Argue for improved environmental justice outcomes in a variety of written and spoken forms
Team based learning task
Assessment Type 1: Quiz/Test
Indicative Time on Task 2: 12 hours
Due: Weeks 4, 6, 11
Weighting: 20%
Three team based learning multiple choice quizzes will take place to test student learning and build communication skills.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Assess environmental decisions or plans using environmental justice concepts or frameworks
- Synthesise geographic information from the social and physical sciences to identify environmental justice issues
- Investigate and appreciate diverse stakeholder perspectives using environmental justice tools and concepts to improve environmental decision-making
- Argue for improved environmental justice outcomes in a variety of written and spoken forms
Environmental Justice Essay
Assessment Type 1: Essay
Indicative Time on Task 2: 25 hours
Due: 30 April 2021
Weighting: 20%
This short essay asks students to explore an environmental justice concept and apply it to a case study (1000 words).
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Synthesise geographic information from the social and physical sciences to identify environmental justice issues
- Describe and explain common environmental injustices associated with contemporary forms of socioecological change
- Investigate and appreciate diverse stakeholder perspectives using environmental justice tools and concepts to improve environmental decision-making
- Argue for improved environmental justice outcomes in a variety of written and spoken forms
Tutorial participation task
Assessment Type 1: Participatory task
Indicative Time on Task 2: 0 hours
Due: All semester
Weighting: 20%
Small tasks completed in tutorials related to unit content. Many of these activities will be scaffolding for the other assignments.
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Assess environmental decisions or plans using environmental justice concepts or frameworks
- Synthesise geographic information from the social and physical sciences to identify environmental justice issues
- Describe and explain common environmental injustices associated with contemporary forms of socioecological change
- Investigate and appreciate diverse stakeholder perspectives using environmental justice tools and concepts to improve environmental decision-making
- Argue for improved environmental justice outcomes in a variety of written and spoken forms
1 If you need help with your assignment, please contact:
- the academic teaching staff in your unit for guidance in understanding or completing this type of assessment
- the Writing Centre for academic skills support.
2 Indicative time-on-task is an estimate of the time required for completion of the assessment task and is subject to individual variation
Delivery and Resources
Each week you are expected to:
1. View the recorded lectures and any associated online material posted that week.
2. Complete assigned readings available on Leganto prior to the tutorials
3. Participate in tutorials where weekly readings will be discussed and activities conducted that build knowledge and skills.
In addition you are required to complete all assessment exercises.
GEOP3000 uses a wide variety of online resources, including an iLearn page where slides and audio from lectures will be posted, the Macquarie University Library for access to peer reviewed journal articles accessed via Leganto, and the web generally for news about, and discussions of, environmental justice and decision making. You will be required to have access to word processing technology and access to iLearn to complete and submit assignments.
Unit Schedule
|
Week |
Lecture |
Tutorial |
Assessment |
|
Introducing environmental justice |
|||
|
1 (AM) |
Environmental justice and decision making in the Anthropocene |
No tutorials |
|
|
2 (AM) |
Environmental Justice: theory, concepts and activism |
Justice in the Anthropocene |
|
|
3 (JM) |
Intersectional environments |
Experiencing intersectionality |
|
| 4 (AM) |
Environmental justice case study |
Team based learning activity | Team based learning assessment |
| Environmental justice and decision making tools and approaches | |||
|
5 (AM) |
Environmental decision making tools and approaches |
Systems mapping |
|
|
6 (AM) |
Environmental justice tools and approaches |
Team based learning activity |
Team based learning assessment |
|
Mid semester break |
|||
| Environmental justice in Australia | |||
|
7 (JM) |
Environmental justice in Australia – planning and law |
Analysing plans and decisions |
|
|
8 (JM) |
Indigenous peoples and environmental decision-making |
Indigenous resistance to environmental injustice |
Environmental justice essay due |
| Environmental justice case studies and future pathways | |||
| 9 (AM) |
Multispecies justice |
Multispecies justice | |
| 10 (AM) |
Forest justice |
Regional Forest Agreements | |
|
11 (AM) |
Climate justice |
Team based learning activity |
Team based learning assessment |
|
12 (AM) |
Food justice |
Food justice |
|
|
13 (AM) |
Just futures for the Anthropocene |
Hopeful futures |
Environmental justice assessment report due |
Policies and Procedures
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
- Academic Appeals Policy
- Academic Integrity Policy
- Academic Progression Policy
- Assessment Policy
- Fitness to Practice Procedure
- Grade Appeal Policy
- Complaint Management Procedure for Students and Members of the Public
- Special Consideration Policy
Students seeking more policy resources can visit Student Policies (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/policies). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
To find other policies relating to Teaching and Learning, visit Policy Central (https://policies.mq.edu.au) and use the search tool.
Student Code of Conduct
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/admin/other-resources/student-conduct
Results
Results published on platform other than eStudent, (eg. iLearn, Coursera etc.) or released directly by your Unit Convenor, are not confirmed as they are subject to final approval by the University. Once approved, final results will be sent to your student email address and will be made available in eStudent. For more information visit ask.mq.edu.au or if you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
Student Support
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
Learning Skills
Learning Skills (mq.edu.au/learningskills) provides academic writing resources and study strategies to help you improve your marks and take control of your study.
The Library provides online and face to face support to help you find and use relevant information resources.
Student Services and Support
Students with a disability are encouraged to contact the Disability Service who can provide appropriate help with any issues that arise during their studies.
Student Enquiries
For all student enquiries, visit Student Connect at ask.mq.edu.au
If you are a Global MBA student contact globalmba.support@mq.edu.au
IT Help
For help with University computer systems and technology, visit http://www.mq.edu.au/about_us/offices_and_units/information_technology/help/.
When using the University's IT, you must adhere to the Acceptable Use of IT Resources Policy. The policy applies to all who connect to the MQ network including students.
Changes since First Published
| Date | Description |
|---|---|
| 17/02/2021 | The TBL exercise and associated teaching activities have been moved from Week 3 to Week 4. |
Unit information based on version 2021.03 of the Handbook