52710 Climate Justice and Climate Policy
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particular session, location and mode of offering is the authoritative source
of all information about the subject for that offering. Required texts, recommended texts and references in particular are likely to change. Students will be provided with a subject outline once they enrol in the subject.
Subject handbook information prior to 2025 is available in the Archives.
Credit points: 6 cp
Result type: Grade and marks
Requisite(s): 24 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10359 Bachelor of Communication (Digital and Social Media) Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation OR 24 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10361-C10364, and Category Type = Bachelor's Degree OR 24 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10365-C10368, and Category Type = Bachelor's Combined Degree OR 24 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10369 Bachelor of Communication (Writing and Publishing) OR 24 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10370 Bachelor of Communication (Writing and Publishing) Bachelor of International Studies OR 24 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10371 Bachelor of Communication (Digital and Social Media) OR 24 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10269 Bachelor of Sound and Music Design OR 24 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10270 Bachelor of Sound and Music Design Bachelor of Arts International Studies OR 24 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10276 Bachelor of Music and Sound Design OR 24 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10277 Bachelor of Music and Sound Design Bachelor of International Studies OR 24 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10372-C10377, and Category Type = Bachelor's Combined Degree OR 24 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10451 Bachelor of Communication (Media Business) OR 24 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10452 Bachelor of Communication (Media Business) Bachelor of International Studies OR 24 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10454 Bachelor of Communication (Media Business) Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation OR 24 credit points of completed study in spk(s): C10465 Bachelor of Music and Sound Design Bachelor of Creative Intelligence and Innovation
These requisites may not apply to students in certain courses. See access conditions.
Anti-requisite(s): 54006 Climate Justice and Climate Policy
Description
Climate change transforms society in profound ways. This subject focuses on social and political debates about climate change. It addresses the changing relationships between social justice and ecological sustainability, drawing on international experience. It especially focuses on issues of land justice and climate justice, drawing on Indigenous contexts and perspectives. Students debate the 'big picture', addressing impacts, discussing responses, investigating solutions. They evaluate a specific policy measure, either proposed or implemented, e.g. renewable energy transitions, 'resilient' urban planning, or climate geoengineering. Building on this, they develop 'blue sky' proposals, and test them in real-world contexts, mapping-out scenarios for implementation. In the process, students gain skills in policy evaluation and development, and in scenario-testing and planning.
Subject learning objectives (SLOs)
| a. | Assess the threats and possibilities that arise out of climate crisis |
|---|---|
| b. | Explain the impacts of climate change, and implications for political and social change |
| c. | Critically assess policy proposals designed to address climate change |
| d. | Describe the implications of indigenous perspectives on climate change |
| e. | Identify ethical implications of climate change and climate justice, especially for the professions |
Course intended learning outcomes (CILOs)
This subject engages with the following Course Intended Learning Outcomes (CILOs), which are tailored to the Graduate Attributes set for all graduates of the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences:
- Act in a professional manner appropriate to communication industries (1.1)
- Employ appropriate research and inquiry skills to independently gather, organise and analyse information across diverse platforms (2.1)
- Act as reflexive critical thinkers and innovative creative practitioners who evaluate their own and others' work (2.2)
- Apply knowledge of Indigenous issues in professional practices and engage responsibly in communicating with and about Indigenous people and communities (4.1)
- Analyse and act ethically in the personal, political and professional contexts of civil society (5.1)
- Exemplify effective and appropriate communication in different communication industry contexts (6.1)
Teaching and learning strategies
The subject enables students to develop a policy briefing and participate in an emulated policy process, from proposal, to scenario-building, to feedback. Assignments follow the format for policy analysis, from briefing, to proposal, to final report. The subject is organised into six modules and is delivered with a combination of online resources, seminars and tutorials. Online resources linked to specific module themes include a wide range of written material, websites and videos. Live and recorded lectures take the form of dialogues between subject convenors and with guest experts via videoconference , with active student involvement, such as through ‘chat’ and quizzes. In the tutorials students debate key policy disputes and present on a range of issues, including on Indigenous climate justice, and on their proposed policy analysis for the second and third assessment items. Interactive tutorials involving student discussion and group presentations allow for formative feedback from tutors on student progress, and enable students to devel op their own ideas, using a range of presentation formats. Tutorials reflect on seminar discussions and assignments, with a fortnightly informal qualitative quiz for each of the six modules.
Content (topics)
In this subject, students engage in-depth with policy dilemmas raised by climate change, critiquing existing proposals, and positing alternatives. They build on their policy investigations to sketch possibilities for a future ‘climate changed’ society, engaging with various climate utopias and dystopias, from climate science fiction to think-tank policy projections. They take their proposals into a real-world setting, such as amongst those who would be affected, to test out whether there may be support for their ideas; this may involve interviewing or surveying professionals, peers or the general public, or floating the proposals with specific organisations to gain direct feedback.
The weekly program is built on real world questions. Different dimensions of climate justice are outlined in the first half of the session. The causes and impacts of climate change are discussed, across generations, across high and low-income countries, and between decision-makers and subordinates. Unevenness and inequity in terms of responsibility, impact, and capacity are all considered. There is a particular focus on Indigenous climate justice, and what light it sheds on non-Indigenous perspectives, especially in the Australian context.
The second half of session focuses on solutions, covering key policy models, debating their underlying assumptions and relative effectiveness. Policy for adaptation and resilience, models for energy transition and for a wider decarbonisation, and for ecological sufficiency, are addressed along with concepts of energy justice, energy democracy and climate justice. Approaches are investigated and evaluated to arrive at a broad-ranging understanding of the scope and depth of the transitions and transformations that are underway.
Assessment
Assessment task 1: Policy Brief
| Objective(s): | a, b, c and d | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight: | 20% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Length: | 500 words | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Assessment task 2: Proposal and Online Presentation
| Objective(s): | b, c and e | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight: | 30% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Length: | 500 Word Proposal + 5 minute Canvas presentation | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Assessment task 3: Individual Policy Report
| Objective(s): | b and c | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight: | 50% | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Length: | 2000 Words | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Criteria linkages: |
SLOs: subject learning objectives CILOs: course intended learning outcomes |
Minimum requirements
Attendance at classes is essential in this subject. Classes are based on a collaborative approach that involves essential workshopping and interchange of ideas with other students and the tutor to build capacities towards meeting the subject learning objectives. A roll will be taken at each class (whether on campus or online). Students who have more than two absences from class will be refused marking of their final assessment (see Rule 3.8).
Required texts
There are no required texts for this subject. Recommended readings will be available via UTS Library and through the subject site.
References
Abate, R. and Warner, E. (eds) (2013) Climate Change and Indigenous Peoples, Edward Elgar, New York.
Anshelm, J. and Hultman, H. (2015) Discourses of Global Climate Change: Apocalyptic framing and political antagonisms, Routledge, London.
Aranof, K. et al (2019) A Planet to Win: Why We Need a Green New Deal, Verso: London.
Aykut, S., Foyer, J. and Morena, E. (2017) Globalising the Climate: COP21 and the Climatisation of Global Debates, Routledge, New York.
Boyer, D. and Howe, C. (2019) Wind and Power in the Anthropocene: Energopolitics / Ecologics, Duke University Press, Durham.
Delina, L. (2018) Climate Actions: Transformative Mechanisms for Social Mobilisation, Palgrave, Basingstoke.
Derman, B. (2020) Struggles for Climate Justice: Uneven Geographies and the Politics of Connection, Palgrave, Basingstoke.
Dietz, M. and Garrelts, H. (2014) Routledge handbook of the climate change movement, Routledge, London.
Hadden, J. (2015) Networks in contention: The divisive politics of climate change, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.
Jafry T. (ed.) (2019) Routledge Handbook of Climate Justice, Routledge, London.
Joshi, S. (2021) Climate Change Justice and Global Resource Commons: Local and Global Postcolonial Political Ecologies, Routledge, Basingstoke.
Neale, J. (2021) Fight the Fire: Green New Deals and Global Climate Jobs, Resistance Books, London.
Nulman, E. (2015) Climate change and social movements, Palgrave, Basingstoke.
Princen, T., Manno, J.and Martin, P. (eds) (2015) Ending the fossil fuel era, MIT Press, Cambridge.
Tokar, B. and Gilbertson, T. (eds) Climate Justice and Community Renewal: Resistance and Grassroots Solutions, Routledge, Basingstoke.