FAK3154 The Rise of Global Environmental Governance, 1940s to 2020s 5.0 credits

The aim of this course is to provide students with an overview and knowledge about established as well as recent research on the rise and development of global environmental governance since 1945. Students will be introduced to the concept of governance and to the history of environmental governance developed to address a range of seminal challenges relating to environment and climate on a global scale. Special attention will be given to the exploration and critical analysis of the international system of environmental organizations, networks, science and policy instruments in a (global) historical perspective. The exploration will draw on the history of science, technology and environment and on neighboring fields like the environmental humanities, legal history, economic history, STS and postcolonial studies.

The aim of this course is to provide students with an overview and knowledge about established as well as recent research on the rise and development of global environmental governance since 1945. Students will be introduced to the concept of governance and to the history of environmental governance developed to address a range of seminal challenges relating to environment and climate on a global scale. Special attention will be given to the exploration and critical analysis of the international system of environmental organizations, networks, science and policy instruments in a (global) historical perspective. The exploration will draw on the history of science, technology and environment and on neighboring fields like the environmental humanities, legal history, economic history, STS and postcolonial studies.

The course is organized by the members of the ERC project SPHERE – Study of the Planetary Human Environment Relationship. General information about the SPHERE project, blogposts, and access to publications on: www.spheregovernance.org

After having passed the course, the students will be able to:

·         account for the concept of governance and its rise and development as a policy concept;

·         review how governance has been introduced to address a range of seminal challenges relating to environment and climate;

·         account for the emergence and growth of international institutions and other social and political organizations and networks active in GEG and the scientific and other forms of expertise behind the rise of GEG and pursuing it in practice;

·         identify the various geophysical objects and elements on which GEG has been applied and evaluate the scientific, legal and economic tools and methods used in GEG, and how they have worked in real time situations;

·         understand the role of scale and scaling mechanisms in multilevel settings from local to global/planetary levels and reflect on the different temporalities at play in GEG;

·         discuss forms of agency of actors and organizations and the targeting and affecting of different local and global communities by GEG in a postcolonial and a global justice perspective;

·         communicate research results orally and in writing and apply concepts and perspectives of environmental governance consciously in their own work.

The course is offered to graduate students at KTH and other institutions of higher education. Eligible applicants are students who meet the requirements for admission to graduate/PhD studies in history or other humanities and social sciences.

If the course is discontinued, students may request to be examined during the following two academic years.

• DEL1 - Participation, 1.0 credits, grading scale: P, F
• INL1 - Hand-in assignment, 2.0 credits, grading scale: P, F
• UPP1 - Essay, 2.0 credits, grading scale: P, 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.

To be approved for the course, students must

• actively participate in 6 sessions with lectures and seminars. A maximum of one missed session can be compensated with a written assignment, by agreement.
• Prepare each course session by reading the course literature.

Nina Cyrén Wormbs

• 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.