121-017 Society and Environments

Formerly available as 121-208/308. Students who have completed 121-208 or 121-308 are not eligible to enrol in this subject.

Completion of 100 points of first and/or second-year subjects including at least 50 points at first-year level from approved subjects in your home faculty.

This subject examines the relationship between society and environments from a geographical perspective. Starting with the philosophical question "what is nature?", students will be introduced to: different conceptual frameworks for understanding nature as a social entity; the processes by which capitalism structures social/environmental relations; the cultural politics of nature conservation; and the geographies of animal-human relations. Students will address those broad themes through a range of interesting and relevant case material drawn from Western and non-Western examples across the realms of science, public affairs and popular culture. These themes include the concept of wilderness; the (post)colonial politics of the zoo; tourism and the consumption of nature; nature as a corporate accumulation strategy; notions of environmental justice; and radical environmentalisms. Students should complete this subject with an understanding of the interconnections between the natural world and various cultural, political and economic formations.

A 2-hour exam and written work totalling 2000 words.