Unit convenor and teaching staff |
Unit convenor and teaching staff
Convenor
Dr. Marc Torka
on request
Co-convenor
Dr. James Dorahy
On request
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Prerequisites |
Prerequisites
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Corequisites |
Corequisites
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Co-badged status |
Co-badged status
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Unit description |
Unit description
This unit examines the relationship between science and society through environmental sustainability. We focus on two big questions: how can we understand science and scientific developments as social processes and institutions; and how can we understand the implications of scientific advance and insights on society in light of environmental issues? We examine how science developed through Modernity, how scientific knowledge is formed and how it's used in the policy process. We look at the continuum of values from conventional instrumental to deep ecological values and investigate their uses in environmental policy. The first question is addressed through an analysis of what we mean by scientific knowledge, how this might differ from other knowledge systems and how science is actually practiced and new insights developed. The second question we address through debates on climate change and sustainability. We ask how and why scientists have raised questions about environmental sustainability. What is the basis of these claims and of criticisms of science? How have scientists engaged in broader social and political debates to advance their environmental insights? How have scientists influenced our societies to become more sustainable, and why have they not been more successful?
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Information about important academic dates including deadlines for withdrawing from units are available at https://www.open.edu.au/student-admin-and-support/key-dates/
On successful completion of this unit, you will be able to:
Attendance
Attendance of lectures and tutorials in this unit is mandatory for internal students. Exemption is given only if you are enrolled in iLecture mode, in which case you will be asked to submit lecture summaries (300 words) on iLearn each week which will be assessed instead of your weekly lecture attendance.
You will be assessed on your presence in lectures and tutorials, and your preparation for classes (including completion of reading materials, engagement in classroom discussion, ability to answer questions and participation in teamwork exercises). Your face to face participation is the backbone of your learning and assessment.
80% of lecture and tutorial attendance is required at the minimum (minus medical exemption).
Assignment submission
Your Book Review and Online Exam will be submitted electronically via TURNITIN, which will be found on iLearn. Turnitin will take your details, including submission time, and check for plagiarism of your work to ascertain that it is all uniquely yours. All copied texts need to be in quotation marks and in-text citation as well as full bibliographic reference needs to be provided.
Late Submission Penalty
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.
Name | Weighting | Hurdle | Due |
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Participation | 15% | No | ongoing |
Environmental issue analysis | 25% | No | Week 6 |
Weekly Quiz | 20% | No | ongoing |
Online Exam | 40% | No | Open Sun 11th to Mon 12th Nov |
Due: ongoing
Weighting: 15%
5% attendance of online tutorials, 5% online attendance at lectures, 5% participation in online tutorials
Due: Week 6
Weighting: 25%
Summary of a book on the environment, chosen from the supplementary list or in consultation with your tutor (600 words); due Fri, Week 6.
Topic: Select one book on the environment from the supplementary list and do the following:
Assessment criteria:
Due: ongoing
Weighting: 20%
Weekly online quizzes will appear on iLearn from Week 2 to Week 11. These will incorporate weekly lecture topics and material from the weekly reading. Each quiz will be worth 2 points, adding up to 20% of your overall mark over 10 weeks. These will have to be completed within a set time period following the lectures.
Due: Open Sun 11th to Mon 12th Nov
Weighting: 40%
Online Exam (40%) A series of short essays. Date of the exam will be posted through the semester.
Exam will be open From Sunday 11th Nov. 8:00am until Monday 12th Nov. 11:55 pm
READINGS
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Week 1 |
There are no set readings for Week 1. Tutorials and set readings begin in Week 2. Please use this time to familiarise yourself with the Unit Guide and the assessment requirements for SOC254. |
Week 2 |
Martell, Luke, (1994), ‘The Limits to Growth Thesis’ in Ecology and Society: An Introduction, Polity Press, Cambridge: pp. 24-33. COMPULSORY Meadows, Donella (et. al.) (1972), ‘Foreword,’ and ‘Introduction’ in The Limits to Growth: A Report for the Club of Rome's Project on the Predicament of Mankind, Potomac Associates, London: pp. 9-12 & pp. 17-24. SUPPLEMENTARY Nolan, Patrick, Lenski, Gerhard, (2009), ‘The Economies of Industrial Societies,’ in Nolan, P. & Lenski, G., Human Societies: An Introduction to Macrosociology (11th ed.), Paradigm Publishers, Boulder & London, pp. 218-235 SUPPLEMENTARY |
Week 3 |
Pepper, David (1996), ‘Pre-modern and Modern Ideas about Nature and Science – The Roots of Technocentrism,’ in Modern Environmentalism – An Introduction, Routledge, London, pp. 124-148. COMPULSORY Williams, Malcolm. (2000), ‘Where Did Science Come From?’ in Science and Social Science: An Introduction, Routledge, London, pp. 8-27. SUPPLEMENTARY Merton, Robert K. (1973), ‘The Normative Structure of Science’ in The Sociology of Science: Theoretical and Empirical Investigations, The University of Chicago Press, London and Chicago, pp. 267-278. COMPULSORY Habermas, Jürgen (1971), ‘Technology and Science as ‘Ideology’’ in Toward a Rational Society: Student Protest, Science and Politics, Heinemann, London, pp. 81-122 SUPPLEMENTARY |
Week 4 |
Berkes, Fikret (1999), ‘Context of Traditional Ecological Knowledge’ and ‘Toward a Unity of Mind and Nature,’ in Sacred Ecology: Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Resource Management, Taylor & Francis, London: 3-14 and 163-183. COMPULSORY |
Week 5 |
Etzkowitz, H. (2001), ‘Science and Industry’ in International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences, Elsevier, London and Amsterdam: 13610-13614. COMPULSORY Larsen, M. T. (2011), ‘The implications of academic enterprise for public science: An overview of the empirical evidence.’ Research Policy, 40(1), 6-19. COMPULSORY |
Week 6 |
Bulkeley, Harriet (2001), ‘Governing Climate Change: The Politics of Risk Society?’. Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers 26(4): 430-447. COMPULSORY Irwin, Alan (2001), ‘Sustainability as Social Challenge’ in Sociology and the Environment, Polity, Oxford: 31-49. COMPULSORY |
Week 7 |
Hannigan, J. A. (1995), ‘Social Construction of Environmental Problems’, in Environmental Sociology – A Social Constructionist Perspective, Routledge, New York: 38-57. COMPULSORY Williams, J. (1998), ‘Knowledge, Consequences, and Experience: The Social Construction of Environmental Problems’. Sociological Inquiry 68(4), 476-497. SUPPLEMENTARY Xiang, W.-N. (2013), Working with wicked problems in socio-ecological systems: Awareness, acceptance, and adaptation. Landscape and Urban Planning 110, 1-4. COMPULSORY |
Week 8 |
Haas, Peter M (2005), ‘Science and international environmental governance’ in Handbook of Global Environmental Politics, Edward Elgar Publishing, Cheltenham: 383-401. COMPULSORY Grundmann, Reiner (2007), Climate change and knowledge politics. Environmental Politics 16(3), 414-432. SUPPLEMENTARY |
Week 9 |
Hannigan, J. A. (2006), ‘Biodiversity loss’ in Environmental Sociology, Routledge, New York: 122-135. COMPULSORY Chapin, S. F. et al. (2000), Consequences of changing biodiversity, Nature 405, 234-242. SUPPLEMENTARY IPBES (2016), ‘The assessment report of the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services on pollinators, pollination and food production’, Bonn: excerpt. |
Week 10 |
Sage, C. (2011), Environment and Food, Routledge, London and New York: 14-20 and 146-169. COMPULSARY |
Week 11 |
Alexandra, J. (2018), Evolving Governance and Contested Water Reforms in Australia’s Murray Darling Basin. Water 10(2), 113-131. COMPULSORY Dovers, Steve (2008), ‘Urban water: policy, institutions and governance’, in Troubled waters: confronting the water crisis in Australia’s cities, ANU E-Press, Canberra: 81-98. SUPPLEMENTARY |
Week 12 |
Additional reading will be provided |
Week 13 |
Review of course material |
Week 1 |
Introduction – Key Concepts and Course Overview |
James Dorahy |
Week 2 |
Social Transformations and the Limits to Growth |
James Dorahy |
Week 3 |
Modernity, Science and the Technological Worldview |
James Dorahy |
Week 4 |
Where Do We Stand Today? The Consequences of Modernisation and the Return to Tradition. |
James Dorahy |
Week 5 |
Science and Industry |
Marc Torka |
Week 6 |
Environmental Science and Politics |
Marc Torka |
Week 7 |
Social Construction of Environmental Problems. A Framework for Case Studies |
Marc Torka |
Week 8 |
Climate Change |
Marc Torka |
Week 9 |
Biodiversity |
Marc Torka |
Week 10 |
Environment, Food and Health |
Marc Torka |
Week 11 |
Water |
Marc Torka |
Week 12 |
Recap |
James Dorahy Marc Torka |
Week 13 |
No lecture |
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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 University recognises that students may experience events or conditions that adversely affect their academic performance. If you experience serious and unavoidable difficulties at exam time or when assessment tasks are due, you can consider applying for Special Consideration.
You need to show that the circumstances:
If you feel that your studies have been impacted submit an application as follows:
Outcome
Once your submission is assessed, an appropriate outcome will be organised.
You can withdraw from your subjects prior to the census date (last day to withdraw). If you successfully withdraw before the census date, you won’t need to apply for Special Circumstances. If you find yourself unable to withdraw from your subjects before the census date - you might be able to apply for Special Circumstances. If you’re eligible, we can refund your fees and overturn your fail grade.
If you’re studying Single Subjects using FEE-HELP or paying up front, you can apply online.
If you’re studying a degree using HECS-HELP, you’ll need to apply directly to Macquarie University.
Macquarie University policies and procedures are accessible from Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central). Students should be aware of the following policies in particular with regard to Learning and Teaching:
Undergraduate students seeking more policy resources can visit the Student Policy Gateway (https://students.mq.edu.au/support/study/student-policy-gateway). It is your one-stop-shop for the key policies you need to know about throughout your undergraduate student journey.
If you would like to see all the policies relevant to Learning and Teaching visit Policy Central (https://staff.mq.edu.au/work/strategy-planning-and-governance/university-policies-and-procedures/policy-central).
Macquarie University students have a responsibility to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct: https://students.mq.edu.au/study/getting-started/student-conduct
Results shown in iLearn, 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.
Macquarie University provides a range of support services for students. For details, visit http://students.mq.edu.au/support/
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Our graduates will also be capable of creative thinking and of creating knowledge. They will be imaginative and open to experience and capable of innovation at work and in the community. We want them to be engaged in applying their critical, creative thinking.
This graduate capability is supported by:
We want our graduates to have emotional intelligence and sound interpersonal skills and to demonstrate discernment and common sense in their professional and personal judgement. They will exercise initiative as needed. They will be capable of risk assessment, and be able to handle ambiguity and complexity, enabling them to be adaptable in diverse and changing environments.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our graduates will have enquiring minds and a literate curiosity which will lead them to pursue knowledge for its own sake. They will continue to pursue learning in their careers and as they participate in the world. They will be capable of reflecting on their experiences and relationships with others and the environment, learning from them, and growing - personally, professionally and socially.
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Our graduates will take with them the intellectual development, depth and breadth of knowledge, scholarly understanding, and specific subject content in their chosen fields to make them competent and confident in their subject or profession. They will be able to demonstrate, where relevant, professional technical competence and meet professional standards. They will be able to articulate the structure of knowledge of their discipline, be able to adapt discipline-specific knowledge to novel situations, and be able to contribute from their discipline to inter-disciplinary solutions to problems.
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We want our graduates to be capable of reasoning, questioning and analysing, and to integrate and synthesise learning and knowledge from a range of sources and environments; to be able to critique constraints, assumptions and limitations; to be able to think independently and systemically in relation to scholarly activity, in the workplace, and in the world. We want them to have a level of scientific and information technology literacy.
This graduate capability is supported by:
Our graduates should be capable of researching; of analysing, and interpreting and assessing data and information in various forms; of drawing connections across fields of knowledge; and they should be able to relate their knowledge to complex situations at work or in the world, in order to diagnose and solve problems. We want them to have the confidence to take the initiative in doing so, within an awareness of their own limitations.
This graduate capability is supported by:
We want to develop in our students the ability to communicate and convey their views in forms effective with different audiences. We want our graduates to take with them the capability to read, listen, question, gather and evaluate information resources in a variety of formats, assess, write clearly, speak effectively, and to use visual communication and communication technologies as appropriate.
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As local citizens our graduates will be aware of indigenous perspectives and of the nation's historical context. They will be engaged with the challenges of contemporary society and with knowledge and ideas. We want our graduates to have respect for diversity, to be open-minded, sensitive to others and inclusive, and to be open to other cultures and perspectives: they should have a level of cultural literacy. Our graduates should be aware of disadvantage and social justice, and be willing to participate to help create a wiser and better society.
This graduate capability is supported by:
We want our graduates to be aware of and have respect for self and others; to be able to work with others as a leader and a team player; to have a sense of connectedness with others and country; and to have a sense of mutual obligation. Our graduates should be informed and active participants in moving society towards sustainability.
This graduate capability is supported by: