The course is a general introduction to environmental history but also covers themes such as landscape, risk, and infrastructure as well as technologies and policies that have provided the framework conditions for human ecological footprints and the built environment. The perspective is global but with numerous examples from Sweden. The chronological focus will be on the modern period, in particular the 20th century.

After the course the student shall:

• have knowledge about the environment as a limiting factor in human societies from the oldest times to the present modern society,
• be able to describe and explain how and why the environment has become a political, economical and technological issue in modern society,
• be able to analyse the growing interest in risks, catastrophies and understand those phenomena in a historical context.

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Students at KTH with a permanent disability can get support during studies from Funka:

Funka - compensatory support for students with disabilities

A, B, C, D, E, FX, F

• INL1 - Essay, 7.5 credits, Grading scale: A, B, C, D, E, FX, F

Based on recommendation from KTH’s coordinator for disabilities, the examiner will decide how to adapt an examination for students with documented disability.

The examiner may apply another examination format when re-examining individual students.

Active participation in seminars and lectures; at one seminar in advance prepare a comment or a review; write an essay (about 2000 words) about one of the central themes of the course that clearly draws on the course literature, lectures, and seminars.

Mandatory attendance to pass the course. Absence on more than 25% of lectures or on more than one seminar is made up for by additional writing assignment.

Assessment criteria for the course are:

• Quality of essay (50%)
• Quality of oral and written seminar presentation (20%)
• Quality of overall activity in lectures and seminars. (30%)

Results on all three dimensions make up one single grade for the entire course.

Mandatory attendance to pass the course. Absence on more than 25% of lectures or on more than one seminar is made up for by additional writing assignment.

The assessment criteria of essay are:

• Coverage of reading assignments to demonstrate full grasp of all literature, which should be listed as end references
• Ability to present the topic and argue for its relevance and overall interest
• Ability to follow a line of argument and to organize materials to support the argument
• Analytical capability
• Clarity of style and ability to distinguish the voices and views in sources from author’s argument and presentation

• All members of a group are responsible for the group's work.
• In any assessment, every student shall honestly disclose any help received and sources used.
• In an oral assessment, every student shall be able to present and answer questions about the entire assignment and solution.