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, as well as their effectiveness, the obstacles and opportunities arising from their implementation.
- Describe the extent of the energy crisis and the different strategies for the energy transition.
Prerequisites
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Course unit content
The first part of the course will be devoted to clarifying the boundaries and the main concepts of environmental sociology, 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 understanding the causes and different facets of the current ecological crisis, with a main focus on the climatic and energy crisis.
The main strategies and the main tools (technological, economic, social, policies) aimed at answering them will be presented.
Special attention will be devoted to the strategy of sufficiency, especially in its guise of energy sufficiency, therefore as a strategy for the energy (and environmental) transition consisting in the reduction of the consumption of energy services.
Full programme
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Bibliography
For attending students:
- Pellizzoni L., Osti G. (2008), Sociologia dell’Ambiente. Il Mulino. [Excl. Chapters 4 and 5]
- Arrobbio O. (2023). Sufficienza energetica. Il senso, le opportunità e le sfide di un diverso cammino per la transizione energetica. Castelvecchi.
- Slides used and articles presented during the course.
For non-attending students:
- Pellizzoni L., Osti G. (2008). Sociologia dell’Ambiente. Il Mulino. [Excl. Chapter 4]
- Arrobbio O. (2023). Sufficienza energetica. Il senso, le opportunità e le sfide di un diverso cammino per la transizione energetica. Castelvecchi.
- One book to be chosen among the following:
o Agustoni A. (2022). Città e sistemi mondo. Sociologia storica ed ecologia evolutiva.
o Baker S. (2021). Revolutionary power. An activist's guide to the energy transition.
o Bruckner P. (2011). Il fanatismo dell'Apocalisse. Salvare la terra, punire l'uomo. [Title in English: The fanaticism of the Apocalypse]
o Callenbach E. (1975). Ecotopia.
o Crary J. (2013). 24/7. Il capitalismo all'assalto del sonno [Title in English: 24/7: Late Capitalism and the Ends of Sleep] + Bukowski W. (2022). Perché non si vedono più le stelle: inquinamento luminoso e messa a reddito della notte.
o Elliott A. & Urry J. (2010). Vite mobili. [Title in English: Mobile lives]
o Hickel J. (2020). Siamo ancora in tempo! Come una nuova economia può salvare il pianeta [Title in English: Less is more].
o Illich I. (1973). La convivialità [Title in English: Conviviality] + Illich I. (1973). Elogio della bicicletta [Title in English: Energy and Equity].
o Keucheyan R. (2014). La natura è un campo di battaglia. Saggio di ecologia politica. [Title in English: Nature is a battlefield]
o Kolbert E. (2022). Sotto un cielo bianco. La natura del futuro. [Title in English: Under a White Sky]
o MacKinnon J.B. (2021). Il giorno in cui il mondo smette di comprare. [Title in English: The Day the World Stops Shopping]
o Mazzara B. (2023). Società dei consumi e sostenibilità. Una prospettiva psicoculturale.
o Morton T. (2012). Come un'ombra dal futuro. Per un nuovo pensiero ecologico [Title in English: The ecological thougth].
o Princen T. (2005). The logic of sufficiency. [Chapter 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 9 + one chapter among chapters 6, 7, and 8].
o Scotti I. (2020). Vento forte. Eolico e professioni della green economy.
The slides used to support the lessons will be uploaded on a weekly basis to the Elly platform. 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://elly2023.dusic.unipr.it/course/view.php?id=934).
Teaching methods
The course uses and integrates the following teaching methods: lectures (with the aid of slides, texts, audio and video contributions); interactive lessons.
Assessment methods and criteria
Oral exam.
This will last approximately 25-30 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; Arrobbio's book. For non-attending students: Pellizzoni and Osti's book; Arrobbio's book; 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 Wednesdays and Thursdays, starting from Wednesday, February 14, 2024, and concluding on Thursday, March 14, 2024.
On Wednesdays, lessons will take place from 12:30 pm to 3:30 pm.
On Thursdays, lessons will be held from 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm.
The lessons will take place online via the Teams platform. Instructions for accessing the online lessons on Teams are available on Elly (at https://elly2023.dusic.unipr.it/course/view.php?id=934).
Communications for changes in office hours or exams or other changes are communicated on the DUSIC Department website: http://dusic.unipr.it/it and on the teacher's personal page: https://personale.unipr.it/it/ugovdocenti /person/236440
Exceptionally, ad hoc communications can be added via email.
The teacher receives by appointment via email (osman.arrobbio@unipr.it), in his office in 10 Borgo Carissimi, or online on the Teams platform.
