SOC30680 Climate Change and Other Risks

Academic Year 2022/2023

In this module, students will be introduced to the sociology of global risks, threats to the life of human and non-human beings that are transnational in nature and consequences. While we’ll privilege a focus on climate change, there will be room for discussions about other global risks, including nuclear conflicts, water deficit, deforestation, pandemics, toxic disposal, financial crises, and loss of cultural and biodiversity. We will start with a discussion on the available theories on global risks, from the seminal work of Ulrich Beck and Anthony Giddens to a more recent scholarship, and will leave room for the analysis of case studies. Particular attention will be posed to global risks vis-à-vis the existing global order, ideologies and organisations that hinder or facilitate their resolution, including capitalism, nationalism and the nation-state, internationalism and intergovernmental organisations, human rights and civil society.

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Curricular information is subject to change

Learning Outcomes:

On completion of the module students will know what a global risk is, what kinds of global risks exist, what causes them, how our societies deal with them, whether we can do better, and how.

Student Effort Hours: 
Student Effort Type Hours
Lectures

22
Specified Learning Activities

44
Autonomous Student Learning

50
Total

116
Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
Each lecture will be followed by an in-class discussion where students will be asked to critically reflect on the subject that is being investigated. Weekly readings will be the focus of a similar work. Students will be invited to write down critical summaries that will be presented and debated in class.
 
Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 
Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade
Essay: Students will be invited to write a 2000-4000 word essay on one or more risks at the core of this module. Week 11 n/a Graded No

50
Examination: Mid-Semester take-home exam Week 7 Yes Graded No

30
Continuous Assessment: Weekly summary of readings Throughout the Trimester n/a Graded No

20

Carry forward of passed components
No
 
Resit In Terminal Exam
Spring No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 
Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Group/class feedback, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Both in terms of mid-term take-home exam and end of semester take-home exam, individual grades will be provided in Brightspace.

Name Role
Assoc Professor Iarfhlaith Watson Lecturer / Co-Lecturer