Course content

The course sheds light on key environmental problems facing the world both historically and today. The course explores different ways of explaining the occurrence of environmental problems and their solutions and investigates both theoretical and empirical explanations of international cooperation on these issues. We will cover inter alia common environmental discourses, the tragedy of the commons, resource management, international environmental regimes and conditions for collective action. The course also zooms in on selected current topics such as the international politics of climate change, food security and European and international energy politics.

Learning outcome

Knowledge - the student shall:

• know the political processes and policy formulation at the interface between national environmental, energy and resource administration and within the international context
• know central environmental discourses and how they influence our understanding of different environmental issues

Skills - the student shall demonstrate the ability to:

• apply and discuss the theories and models central to environmental, energy and resource management
• cooperate in the preparation of a poster that will be presented in the seminars

Learning methods and activities

On average 2 hours of lectures per week, and seminars on average every third week. Students that fail to attend compulsory seminars, will not be allowed to take the exam.

Compulsory assignments

• Written work
• Participation in relevant seminars
• Oral presentation

Recommended previous knowledge

None.

Required previous knowledge

None.

Course materials

To be decided at the start of the course.

Credit reductions