NB! This course on environmental justice has been replaced with the new course AL2121 Global Development and Political Ecology. Please visit AL2121 webpage to learn more and apply.
Course memo Autumn 2021
Du hittar kurs-PM för nyare kursomgångar på sidan Kurs-PM.
Course presentation
Headings denoted with an asterisk ( * ) is retrieved from the course syllabus version Autumn 2020
Content and learning outcomes
Course contents
The course focuses environmental justice regarding access to and use of ecological resources. In the course the ecological resource base that is needed to support urban structures together with a consumer intensive life style and also how natural resources and negative environmental impact are distributed between different groups in society is illustrated and discussed. During the course strategies for social-ecological just and including use of natural resources and potentials to promote environmental justice in planning and environmental technology are also discussed.
Intended learning outcomes
After passing the course, the student should be able to:
- identify relevant issues and explain key concepts, theories and perspective within the scope of the focus area of the course; planning for environmental justice in social-ecological systems
- discuss and argue for and against different perspectives on environmental justice in social-ecological systems
- give suggestions on how urban planning/civil engineering and environmental technology can be developed to identify, handle and/or prevent injustices with respect to use of ecological resources.
- apply the perspective of the course on real cases and communicate the result of the analysis to relevant target group
Learning activities
The learning activities are constructed to help you to achieve the learning objectives. The activities are sequential, where lectures and seminars will be held during November, and during December-January students will work on a group project assignment.
Lectures
There will be lectures with the teachers and a guest lecturer presenting theories and case studies of relevance for the course. These are often linked to seminars.
Seminars
Seminars will be organized, for which students are to prepare in advance by reading specified course literature and completing short assignments. During the seminars, students are to actively participate in the discussions.
Group project assignment
Students will work together in small groups to analyze a case from the course perspectives and propose suggestions for how planning and environmental technology can be developed in order to identify, manage and/or prevent injustices with regards to the use of ecological resources. Students will also write an individual reflective text reflecting on their learning and contribution to the project work.
Detailed plan
| Learning activities | Content | Preparations |
|---|---|---|
| Lectures |
The course will have six (6) lectures on the following topics:
|
No preparations are necessary for the lectures. |
| Seminars |
During each seminar the task is to:
After each seminar the task is to:
What literature should be read for each seminar can be seen in each seminar's respective assignment instructions on Canvas. You can expect feedback from your seminar leader within one week. |
Before each seminar the task is to:
|
| Group project assignment |
The set-up is designed much by the students, while the teachers act as facilitators and discussants. The work is discussed during supervisions. The project work should result in a popular scientific article. This assignment also includes an individual reflective text where each student is to reflect on her/his learning and contribution to the project work, and show evidence of how they have fulfilled the grading criteria. |
The lectures and seminars together with the course literature will prepare the students for the project work. No other preparation is needed before the project kick-off, which is when planning of the project work and formation of the groups will take place. |
Preparations before course start
Recommended prerequisites
Completed at least one of the following courses (or similar):
AG2805 Sustainable Planning and Design
AL2511 Resilience Thinking in Sustainable Planning
AG2142 Political Economy for Environmental Planners
Literature
Agyeman, J. et al. (2016) ‘Trends and Directions in Environmental Justice: From Inequity to Everyday Life, Community, and Just Sustainabilities’, Annual Review of Environment and Resources, 41, pp. 321–340. doi:10.1146/annurev-environ-110615-090052.
Álvarez, L. and Coolsaet, B. (2020) ‘Decolonizing environmental justice studies: a Latin American perspective’, Capitalism Nature Socialism, 31(2), pp. 50–69. doi:10.1080/10455752.2018.1558272.
Caney, S. (2009) ‘Justice and the distribution of greenhouse gas emissions’, Journal of Global Ethics, 5(2), pp. 125–146. doi:10.1080/17449620903110300.
Chaudhary, S. et al. (2018) ‘Environmental justice and ecosystem services: A disaggregated analysis of community access to forest benefits in Nepal’, Ecosystem Services, 29, pp. 99–115. doi:10.1016/j.ecoser.2017.10.020.
Di Giulio, A. and Fuchs, D. (2014) ‘Sustainable Consumption Corridors: Concept, Objections, and Responses’, GAIA - Ecological Perspectives for Science and Society, 23(3), pp. 184–192. doi:10.14512/gaia.23.S1.6.
Gunnarsson-Östling, U. and Svenfelt, Å. (2017) ‘Sustainability Discourses and Justice: Towards social-ecological justice’, in Holifield, R., Chakraborty, J., and Walker, G. (eds) The Routledge Handbook of Environmental Justice. Milton, UNITED KINGDOM: Routledge, pp. 160–171. Available at: http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/kth/detail.action?docID=5046892 (Accessed: 14 January 2019).
Hornborg, A. (2011) ‘Zero-sum world: how to think about ecologically unequal exchange’, in Global Ecology and Unequal Exchange: Fetishism in a Zero-Sum World. Abingdon, Oxon: Routledge (Routledge studies in ecological economics), pp. 6–26. Available at: https://doi-org.focus.lib.kth.se/10.4324/9780203806890.
Leach, M. et al. (2018) ‘Equity and sustainability in the Anthropocene: a social–ecological systems perspective on their intertwined futures’, Global Sustainability, 1, p. e13. doi:10.1017/sus.2018.12.
Pineda Pinto, M. (2020) ‘Environmental ethics in the perception of urban planners: A case study of four city councils’, Urban Studies, 57(14), pp. 2850–2867. doi:10.1177/0042098019887932.
Support for students with disabilities
Students at KTH with a permanent disability can get support during studies from Funka:
Parts of the course will be adapted to accommodate written interpretation. For this purpose, interpreters may be present during learning activities.
Examination and completion
Grading scale
A, B, C, D, E, FX, F
Examination
- PRO1 - Project assignment, 3.0 credits, Grading scale: A, B, C, D, E, FX, F
- SEM1 - Seminars, 1.0 credits, Grading scale: P, F
- TEN1 - Home exam, 3.5 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.
The section below is not retrieved from the course syllabus:
Seminars (SEM1)
The seminars are worth 1 credit (out of the course 7.5 credits), and will primarily help students to achieve the learning objectives 1-3 and will be graded by pass/fail (P/F).
To pass the seminars, you need to have prepared for and attended all seminars according to instructions.
Home exam (TEN1)
The course literature is examined with a home exam, which is worth 3.5 credits (out of the course 7.5 credits). The highest possible grade is A, and F means that the student did not pass the assignment.
The home exam can be done from wherever you want as long as you have internet access. You can also upload your home exam whenever you have finished all the questions, but no later than the deadline specified on Canvas.
Project assignment (PRO1)
The project work is examined based on the project report, presentation of the project, as well as the individual reflective text. The group project work is worth 3 credits (out of the course 7.5 credits) which equals 80 hours of studies, and is graded on the scale A-Fx. The project work is primarily an examination of learning objective 3 and 4.
Grading criteria/assessment criteria
Seminars (SEM1)
The seminars are graded Pass or Fail, based on full attendance and submission of preparatory assignments according to instructions.
Home exam (TEN1)
To pass the home exam, students need to answer the questions in accordance with instructions.
The first nine questions are multiple-choice questions. ONE of the three alternative answers is the right answer. If you answer correctly to at least eight of these, you are guaranteed the grade E on the home exam.
The following eight questions should be answered with a short text. The word limit for the seven first of these are 200, while the word limit for the last question is 500. If your answer is longer, it will be cut from the end. These text questions will be assessed according to the criteria below, and the grade will be the average of all questions. If your answers mean that you are in the middle of two grades, at least eight correct answers to the multiple-choice questions above will increase your grade to the higher one.
|
|
E |
D |
C |
B |
A |
|
Explain / outline
|
Able to identify and write about some parts of the course content in a relevant and accurate way. Addresses some aspects of the course, with some use of course materials. Able to answer all questions. |
Fulfills all aspects of E and some aspects of C. |
Able to identify and write about a number of relevant points with some details. References to the seminar literature are used. |
Fulfills all aspects of C and some aspects of A.
|
Able to identify and explain a full range of relevant issues related to the course. The text is written in own voice but supported by the seminar literature and other relevant course literature. Able to use the full range of course materials and relate it to other contexts. |
|
Discuss, debate/reflect and exemplify |
Able to paraphrase seminar literature and lectures, but does not have to include evidence of own arguments. |
Fulfills all aspects of E and some aspects of C. |
Able to retrieve relevant arguments and examples from the seminar literature and lectures and discuss them in a critical way. This means that course literature is not just paraphrased, but analyzed and evaluated. Can find arguments both for and against the concepts/theories/approaches in the literature. Contains some own conclusions. |
Fulfills all aspects of C and some aspects of A.
|
Arguments are made in own voice but are also well supported by seminar literature and other relevant course literature. Able to link discussion to real-life professional contexts. Able to compare and discuss arguments from different parts of the course literature. Original conclusions. |
Project assignment (PRO1)
The project and the individual reflective text (taken together) are graded on the scale A-Fx.
|
Aspect |
E |
D |
C |
B |
A |
|
Basic |
Carried out the assignment in accordance with the instructions. Participated in supervision and presented the project orally. |
|
|
|
|
|
Explain/outline
|
Able to identify and write about some parts of the course content in a relevant and accurate way. Addresses some aspects of the course, with some use of course materials. |
Fulfills all aspects of E and some aspects of C. |
Able to identify and write about a number of relevant points with some details. References to course literature are used. |
Fulfills all aspects of C and some aspects of A.
|
Able to identify and explain a full range of relevant issues related to the course. Texts and oral presentations are made in own voice but supported by course literature and other relevant sources. Able to use the full range of course materials, relate the texts to each other and relate it to other contexts. |
|
Discuss/debate/reflect and exemplify |
Able to paraphrase course literature and lectures, but does not have to include evidence of own arguments. |
Fulfills all aspects of E and some aspects of C. |
Able to retrieve relevant arguments and examples from the course literature and lectures and discuss them (orally or in written text) in a critical way. This means that course literature is not just paraphrased, but analyzed and evaluated. Contains some own conclusions. |
Fulfills all aspects of C and some aspects of A.
|
Arguments in texts and oral presentations are made in own voice but are also well supported by course literature and other relevant sources. Able to link discussion to real-life professional contexts. Original conclusions. |
|
Suggest |
Presents suggestions based on examples found in course literature and lectures, but does not have to include own to supporting arguments. |
Fulfills all aspects of E and some aspects of C. |
Able to develop and present (orally and/or in written text) new suggestions supported by arguments based on own experience, knowledge, course literature and lectures. |
Fulfills all aspects of C and some aspects of A.
|
Course content is internalized into personalized model of practice. Ability to generalize course content to new contexts. Case-specific suggestions presented both orally and in written texts, supported by own arguments based on literature. |
Opportunity to complete the requirements via supplementary examination
Seminars (SEM1)
If a student participates in a seminar but does not receive a passing grade on the seminar assignment, they can revise and resubmit their assignment according to instructions provided by the teacher after the seminar.
Home exam (TEN1)
Students can complete a supplementary assignment to raise an Fx grade to E, but not to a higher grade than E.
Project assignment (PRO1)
If a student participates in the project work but receives the grade Fx, they will be offered to submit a supplementary assignment in April 2022 to raise their grade to E, but not higher.
Opportunity to raise an approved grade via renewed examination
It is not possible to improve given grades.
Alternatives to missed activities or tasks
Seminars (SEM1)
If a student misses ONE of the compulsory seminars, they can catch up by attending an extra seminar on November 29.
Home exam (TEN1)
If a student does not submit their home exam, there will be a re-exam in April 2022.
Project assignment (PRO1)
If a student does not participate in the project work, they must join the project work in the next course round. A student can miss ONE of the scheduled supervisions with the approval of their project teammates. If a student misses the project presentations, they can compensate by presenting to the course management.
Reporting of exam results
The grades for each examination (SEM1, TEN1, PRO1) will be reported to the department course administration no later than 10 working days after the deadline for final submission.
Ethical approach
- 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.
The section below is not retrieved from the course syllabus:
- During the course, there will be discussions that can relate to ideologies and ethical principles and perspectives. For these discussions to be held in a safe and comfortable discussion climate, it is important that all participants adhere to the KTH Code of Conduct
Further information
No information inserted
Contacts
Course Coordinator
Teachers
Examiner
Other Contacts
ABE school students' office
For course administrative questions that are not specific to this course: kursexp@abe.kth.se.
Round Facts
Start date
1 Nov 2021
Course offering
- Autumn 2021-51543
Language Of Instruction
English
Offered By
Contacts
Course Coordinator
Teachers
Examiner
Other Contacts
ABE school students' office
For course administrative questions that are not specific to this course: kursexp@abe.kth.se.