Environment and Society

This subject aims to think critically and rigorously about the relationship between social and natural worlds. Its primary purpose is to question the idea that the environment exists outside of, and independent from, the realms of science, culture, politics and economy. Students will be introduced to 1) different conceptual frameworks for understanding the environment as a social entity, especially the interdisciplinary field of political ecology, 2) the processes by which capitalism and science structures social and environmental relations, and 3) alternative modes of living in, and thinking about, the environment. These broad themes will be addressed through engaging examples from Australia, Southeast Asia, and beyond. Particular attention will be given to the concept of 'wilderness', the Anthropocene, climate change, environmental justice, intersectional inequalities, and environmental movements.