Learning objectives
At the end of the course, students are expected to be able to:
- Know and use in an appropriate way the main key concepts of environmental sociology;
- Know the main ramifications, theories and methods of environmental sociology;
- Describe the characteristics of environmental problems, their extent and possible causes;
- Distinguish and define the main strategies and tools for mitigating environmental impacts.
Prerequisites
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Course unit content
The course will be divided into 3 parts.
The first part of the course will be devoted to clarifying the boundaries and the main concepts of environmental sociology (as well as general sociological concepts), and to presenting the main topics it has been investigating. Also, a reconstruction of the most relevant or paradigmatic local and global environmental events and issues will be made, up to the present days.
The second part of the course will be dedicated to environmental movements, with a focus on climate activism.
The third and last part will focus on strategies and policies for mitigating environmental problems and, in particular, climate change, with a focus on sustainable and ethical consumption and the sufficiency strategy.
Full programme
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Bibliography
For attending students:
- Slides used and articles presented during the course.
- Pellizzoni L., Osti G., Sociologia dell’Ambiente, Il Mulino, 2008.
- A book chosen from an extensive bibliography that will be prepared and made available on the Elly platform at the beginning of the course.
For non-attending students:
- Pellizzoni L., Osti G., Sociologia dell’Ambiente, Il Mulino, 2008.
- Two books to be chosen from an extensive bibliography that will be prepared and made available on the Elly platform at the beginning of the course.
The slides used to support the lessons will be uploaded on a weekly basis to the Elly 2022 platform. The bibliography will also be uploaded to Elly 2022 and will be prepared and made available at the beginning of the course. To download the slides, it is necessary to register for the online course by accessing the page of the "Sociology of the Environment and the Territory" course. https://elly2022.dusic.unipr.it/course/view.php?id=870
Teaching methods
The course uses and integrates the following teaching methods: lectures (with the aid of slides, texts, audio and video contributions); interactive lessons; group exercises (e.g. construction of sustainability scenarios).
Assessment methods and criteria
Oral exam.
This will last approximately 20-30 minutes, ideally to be equally divided between the different texts / materials for the exam. So, for attending students: slides / materials; Pellizzoni and Osti's book; chosen book. For non-attending students: Pellizzoni and Osti book; 1st chosen book; 2nd chosen book.
Assessment. A failure assessment is determined by the lack of knowledge of the minimum course contents; the inability to express adequately to the topic; the lack of autonomous preparation; the inability to formulate judgments and to communicate content, analysis and judgments in a reasoned, competent and convincing manner. A sufficient or fair evaluation (18-23 / 30) is determined by an acceptable or fair level of performance by students related to the evaluation indicators listed above; the average scores (24-27 / 30) are assigned to students who proves to have a good or very good level related to the evaluation indicators listed above; the highest scores (from 28/30 upwards) are assigned upon the demonstration of an excellent level related to the evaluation indicators listed above.
The outcome of the oral exam will be communicated at the end of the exam itself.
Other information
Lessons will be held on Thursdays and Fridays, from 16 Feb 2023 to 17 Mar 2023, in Room B of the Via d'Azeglio complex. The lesson on 23 Feb will be held in Room C.
The lesson time is 12:30-15:30. An exception is the lesson on Thursday 23 Feb which will start at 13:30 and finish at 16:30.
