AK1204 Environmental History 7.5 credits
Questions about admittance and similar, please contact: kursexp@abe.kth.se
Questions about content, please contact: history@abe.kth.se
The 2006 tsunami, New Orleans, Burma, Haiti. Earthquakes, hurricanes, tidal waves, pandemies. Is our world becoming a more dangerous place to live in? Why does there seem to be a growing interest in risks, crises and catastrophes? Because of the global warming? Because of food shortage? Because of threatening oil shortage and risk for growing conflicts over resources?
Many questions. One way to deal with them is to explore them historically. Did there use to be as many catastrophes in the past? What is humanity responsible for, and what is the effect of natural forces?
Choose semester and course offering
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Application
For course offering
Spring 2025 Start 17 Mar 2025 programme students
Application code
60626
Content and learning outcomes
Course contents
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.
Intended learning outcomes
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.
Literature and preparations
Specific prerequisites
Completed upper secondary education including documented English corresponding to English A/ English 6.
Recommended prerequisites
No recommended prerequisites.
Equipment
Literature
Examination and completion
If the course is discontinued, students may request to be examined during the following two academic years.
Grading scale
Examination
- 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.
Other requirements for final grade
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
Opportunity to complete the requirements via supplementary examination
Opportunity to raise an approved grade via renewed examination
Examiner
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.
Further information
Course room in Canvas
Offered by
Main field of study
Education cycle
Add-on studies
AK2210 Political Ecology
For advanced studies within this field after completing this course, you may also apply for a masters thesis project in the history of science, technology and environment.
Supplementary information
The course may be cancelled if less than 10 students accept the offer of a place.
Previous course code: 4D1212