2024/25 Undergraduate Module Catalogue

SLSP2933 Sociology and the Climate Crisis

20 creditsClass Size: 80

Module manager: Professor Sarah Irwin
Email: s.irwin@leeds.ac.uk

Taught: Semester 2 (Jan to Jun) View Timetable

Year running 2024/25

Pre-requisite qualifications

At least 20 credits at Level 1 from a social science related discipline.

This module is not approved as a discovery module

Module summary

The climate emergency and linked breakdown in natural systems is one of the defining issues of our time, arguably of human civilization itself, auguring epochal change. The crisis, and societal responses to it, very urgently require social scientific knowledge and tools for understanding. The crisis begs fundamental sociological questions relating to its epochal significance for livelihoods, human well-being and suffering, social inequalities, power, and social practices and relationships. In the module students will learn about the nature of the climate crisis, how it has evolved and how scientific knowledge has been accumulated, communicated and contested. They will examine evidence on public opinion and concern and theories from different disciplines which seek to explain related puzzles of inaction. We will interrogate social inequalities, climate justice, politics and power in climate change dynamics with reference to cross-national and global North South inequalities as well as within-nation inequalities. We will examine youth, debates about generational justice and related 'temporal imaginaries' of climate change. The module will examine and evaluate prospects for policy interventions, citizen engagement, participation and deliberation. Through the module the team will draw on examples of their own research and policy engagement.

Objectives

The module will support students to:
a) develop a breadth and depth of social scientific knowledge about human impacts on the climate and other natural systems and the consequences for human societies;
b) evaluate the disciplinary contribution of sociology to understanding anthropogenic influence on the climate and on biodiversity;
c) develop a critical and analytic understanding of key debates relating to climate science and communication, social inequalities, social practice theory, cultural and temporal framings of climate change;
d) investigate and evaluate policies for environmental sustainability and climate change mitigation and adaptation; and
e) to develop skills in communicating their learning in different written forms for different audiences.

Learning outcomes
On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following learning outcomes relevant to the subject:
1. Explain the contribution of social sciences to understanding of key debates within the sociology of the climate crisis.
2. Critically discuss knowledge, theories and evidence pertaining to the climate crisis and the breakdown of natural systems, and related historical, economic, social and cultural causes and consequences.
3. Evaluate a range of inter-connected areas of research, and the role of sociology, in interpreting societal consequences of, and responses to, climate change. These include social inequalities, just transition debates, public opinion and values, (mis)communicating science, consumerism, sustainability and social practice theory.
4. Critically evaluate policy developments, diverse policy strategies and the ability to evaluate evidence of their efficacy.
5. Communicate knowledge and analytic skills of synthesis and independent critical judgement through oral presentation and debate within seminars and through written (blog and essay) work.

Skills Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of the module students will have demonstrated the following skills learning outcomes:
1. Apply critical thinking skills to a range of social issues
2. Communicate complex information, including concepts, verbally and in written form
3. Present complex information on social issues verbally
4. Create digital content showcasing social issues using appropriate software package
5. Manage time appropriately to meet targets for completion of presentation
6. Employ ethical practices in the use of multiple academic sources to support your understanding of own work
7. Showcase evidence of independent thought
8. Apply well-defined and targeted information seeking and filtering capabilities.

Syllabus

Details of the syllabus will be provided on the Minerva organisation (or equivalent) for the module

Teaching methods

Delivery type	Number	Length hours	Student hours
Lecture	11	1.00	11.00
Practical	3	1.00	3.00
Seminar	11	1.00	11.00
Private study hours			175.00
Total Contact hours			25.00
Total hours (100hr per 10 credits)			200.00

Opportunities for Formative Feedback

Students will receive feedback in an ongoing way through their seminar work and face to face meetings with their tutor.

Methods of assessment

Coursework

Assessment type	Notes	% of formal assessment
Assignment	Coursework	80.00
Assignment	Coursework	20.00
Total percentage (Assessment Coursework)		100.00

Normally resits will be assessed by the same methodology as the first attempt, unless otherwise stated

Reading list

The reading list is available from the Library website

Last updated: 18/03/2024

Disclaimer

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