Course Catalogue

View Specification Document | Reading List

The course explores causes and consequences of environmental problems both in developed and developing countries; policies that have been formulated to address them; constraints in their implementation and related impacts from the social, economic and cultural aspects; institutional limitations and lessons learned. It examines multi-dimensional issues related to environment, water, food, and energy security in the context of overall development, how the perspectives to addressing them have changed over time, and what the outlook is for the next 50 years.  The course takes an application-oriented approach through specific case studies that explore solutions. It brings student teams together to conduct studies on environmental topics of current relevance and policy alternatives using examples from around the world.

Teaching will be over a 3 week period, with further time for study and reflection, and completing the course essay.

Only open to students enrolled on Nankai Joint Graduate School programmes

None

None

Individual essay of 3000 words (60%): Case study that considers implementation of policies in the field of environment, water resources or food, and their impacts on other sectors as well as on society.

Group presentation (2 or 3 students per group) (20%): Discussion of an environmental problem, and policies developed and implemented to addressed it.

Individual oral assessment & presentations (20%): Students will compare similar environmental policies in different countries.

The aims of this course are to:

■ Enable students to identify and analyse the processes of policy making and implementation, and review examples of policies and practices at international and national levels.

■ Develop students' knowledge and understanding of the complexity of environmental degradation under the current development frameworks.

■ Enhance the students´ knowledge of the roles of public, private, and civil organisations at the national and sub-national levels in addressing environmental problems, as well as constraints for policy implementation.

■ Further develop students´ knowledge for the opportunities and limitations of environmentally friendly and responsible decisions.

■ Promote learning about global environmental movements, how they have evolved over time, and how they have informed policies.

By the end of this course students will be able to:

■ Critically discuss the different processes of devising policies

■ Analyse drivers and constraints for environmental policy formulation and implementation

■ Analyse the inter-relation between different sectors' needs on which environmental policy implementation depends

■ Critically analyse the complexities of environmental and development-related issues and their impacts on social, economic, and cultural dimensions

Students must submit at least 75% by weight of the components of the course's summative assessment.