Deze informatie is alleen in het Engels beschikbaar.
Extra Skills: Project management, Making a documentary video
Disciplines: Law, Philosophy, Biology
Themes: Biodiversity, Climate change, Waste, Power and Justice. (Each topic is introduced by a keynote lecture, followed by student presentations.)
Type: Honours Class: This course combines theory and practice to learn how to tackle a complex issue.
Admission requirements
This course is an (extracurricular) Master Honours Class aimed at talented Master’s students. Admission will be based on academic background, GPA and motivation.
Description
This course explores our relation to nature, combining tools and insights from disciplines such as environmental science, biology, law and philosophy. The course will cover various aspects of the unfolding climate and ecological crises to reveal the complexity of the problem and what makes it so hard to address. The course will be organized around several key topics, which will likely include: global warming, biodiversity, waste, intergenerational justice and political power. Each topic is introduced by a keynote lecture, followed by student presentations.
Global warming: What does the latest research tell us about the impacts of climate change? How effective are current climate policies at reducing emissions?
Biodiversity: Around the globe, animals and plants are dying at alarming rates. Are we witnessing a sixth mass extinction? To what extent should we be concerned about biodiversity loss? And what should be done about it?
Waste and pollution: The invention of plastic sparked off a whole range of inventions that shaped modern life as we know it; e.g., the rise of supermarkets. It also generates tremendous amounts of waste, from plastic soup in the ocean to the inner workings of organic cells. How did we end up in a world full of waste and pollution? To answer this question, we need to understand the social, economic and legal developments that created the conditions for materials to become waste.
Justice: The climate and ecological crisis raises profound questions of justice, at national, global, and intergenerational levels. Who is responsible for addressing climate change? In virtue of what? And what does that responsibility consist in? Do we have a duty towards future generations to preserve nature as best as we can, and to make sure that future generations can lead a life that is at least as healthy and rewarding as our own?
Power: Despite the widespread public understanding of the dangers posed by climate change, action taken by political leaders to prevent, or even slow climate change has not been nearly enough to prevent significant planetary warming. In response to this lack of action, some individuals and groups have turned to civil disobedience as a way of trying to bring about change. What explains the gap between avowed climate goals and existing policies? And what might be promising and defensible forms of action in response?
Course objectives
Upon successful completion of this course, students will:
be able to identify different perspectives on environmental issues;
be able to describe and reflect on their own attitude in relation to natureclimate change and environmental problems;
show sophistication in their judgement and analyses of environmental issues;
have trained their skills in collaboration and project management.
Programme and Timetable
The sessions of this class will take place from 17.15. tot 19.00 on the following Wednesdays:
Session 1: March 5 (Lipsius building, room 2.01)
Session 2: March 12 (Lipsius building, room 2.01)
Session 3: March 19 (Lipsius building, room 2.01)
Session 4: March 26 (Kamerlingh Onnes building, room C0.22)
Session 5: April 2 (Lipsius building, room 2.01)
Session 6: April 9 Video Workshop (T.B.C.) (Lipsius building, room 2.06)
Session 7: April 16 (Lipsius building, room 2.01)
Session 8: April 23 (Lipsius building, room 2.01)
Session 9: April 30 (Lipsius building, room 2.01)
Session 10: May 7 (Lipsius building, room 2.01)
Session 11: May 14 (Lipsius building, room 2.01)
Session 12: Filmfestival: June 18 (14.00-17.00) (Lipsius building, room 2.01)
Location
Lipsius building, room 2.01
Course load
This course is worth 5 ECTS, which means the total course load equals 140 hours.
TBA
Assessment
The assesment is based on:
Presentation;
Final project;
Reflection report;
Participation.
Students will be graded with pass / fail / good / excellent.
Reading list
TBA
Brightspace and uSis
Brightspace will be used in this course. Upon admission students will be enrolled in Brightspace by the teaching administration.
Please note: students are not required to register through uSis for the Master Honours Classes. Your registration will be done centrally.
Registration
Submitting an application for this course is possible from Monday, 3 February until and including Sunday, 23 February 2025 through the link on the Honours Academy student website.
Note: students don’t have to register for the Master Honours Classes in uSis. The registration is done centrally before the start of the class.
Contact
Thomas Fossen: t.fossen@phil.leidenuniv.nl