ENS271 Environment and Identity

Faculty of Social Studies
Autumn 2016
Extent and Intensity
3/0/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Teacher(s)
Hans-Joergen Wallin Weihe (lecturer), Ing. Zbyněk Ulčák, Ph.D. (deputy)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Bohuslav Binka, Ph.D.
Department of Environmental Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Ing. Veronika Išová
Supplier department: Department of Environmental Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Timetable
Tue 22. 11. 15:15–16:45 P31 Posluchárna A. I. Bláhy, Wed 23. 11. 15:15–16:45 U33, Thu 24. 11. 8:00–9:30 U32, Fri 25. 11. 8:00–11:15 U33, Mon 28. 11. 17:00–18:30 U33, Tue 29. 11. 15:15–16:45 P31 Posluchárna A. I. Bláhy, Wed 30. 11. 17:00–18:30 U32, Thu 1. 12. 8:00–9:30 U32
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 28 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/28, only registered: 0/28, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/28
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
Course Objectives The course aims at providing insights into some important perspectives within environmental philosophy and their relationship to problems of human identity and social problems. The field is relevant for students within social work, psychology, medicine and other health studies, environmental studies, landscape conservation, landscape architecture, social political studies and anthropology.
Syllabus
  • 1. Title of the course Identity and the environment – social problems and challenges
  • 2. Course Objectives The course aims at providing insights into some important perspectives within environmental philosophy and their relationship to problems of human identity and social problems. The field is relevant for students within social work, psychology, medicine and other health studies, environmental studies, landscape conservation, landscape architecture, social political studies and anthropology.
  • The course is made up of five distinct themes:
  • 3. Content (course outline) 1. Introduction to environmental philosophy, health- and social problems 2.Case studies of individual social problems and their relationship to problems of human identity and the environment 3. Case studies of cultures/societies in crises, traditional subsistence activities and culture
  • 4. Environmental philosophy, environmental protection, sustainable development, health and social problems
  • - Workshop/seminar
  • Theme 1: Introduction to environmental philosophy and social problems This first part of the course will focus on environmental philosophy, environmental policy, use of landscape and natural resources, the connection between traditional subsistence based activities and human identity and social functioning. Also, a historical perspective on the use and misuse of landscape and natural resources will be given. The implications for environmental policy, landscape planning and design, and practical health and social work will be discussed.
  • Theme 2: Case studies of individual health and social problems and their relationship to problems of human identity and the environment
  • Theme 3. Case studies of cultures/societies in crises, traditional subsistence activities and culture
  • Theme 4: Environmental philosophy, environmental protection, sustainable development, health and social problems – concluding session In this final section of the course, applications of environmental philosophy to research on environmental on the social consequences of human societies will be discussed.
  • Philosophical positions and basic value priorities will be discussed. Workshop/seminar:
  • The first part of the seminar will provide an overview of how humans from an anthropological and philosophical point of view of how humans in various cultures and traditions relate to the environment and use of natural resources. In the second part, students will have the opportunity to explore selected communities or target areas either using already existing information or through collection of their own data through in-depth interviews and/or observation.
  • 4. Bibliography and teaching support materials Huba Mikulás and Novácek Pavel 2000. The world perceived by the heart of Europe. Bratislava: Society for Sustainable Living Page 19 – 28 and page 118 – 177 (60 pages)
  • Barendregt Marko and van Hezewijk Rene 2005. Adaptive and Genomic Explanation of Human Behaviour: Might Evolutionary Psychology Contribute to Behavioural Genomics. Biology and Philosophy, 20, 57 - 78 (22 pages) Levy Neil 2004. Evolutionary Psychology, Human Universals, and the Standard Social Science Model. Biology and Philosophy, 19, 459 – 473 (15 pages) Nickel James W. 2005. Poverty and Rights in The Philosophical Quarterly Vol 55, no 220 July 2005, page 385 – 401 (17 pages) Spaul M.W.J and Evans S. H. 2005. Historic Landscapes, Cultural Capital and Sustainability: Interpreting Ancient Woodlands. Current Issues in Tourism, Volume 8, no 2& 3, page 231 –244 (15 pages) Wilson Robert A. Recent work in Individualism in the Social, Behavioural and Biological Sciences. Biology and Philosophy, 19, 397 – 423 (27 pages) 5. Course material to be made available and in the process of being published Weihe Hans-Jørgen Wallin and Syvertsen Carsten (2009) Indentity, understanding, memory and landscape, Stavanger: Hertervig Academic Press 170 pages
Assessment methods
Assessment strategy Paper requirements In order to obtain credits for the course, students are required to prepare one individual paper of about 2.500 words. The paper should be submitted by mail to the teacher at the address H-J.Wallin.Weihe@hil.no The main purpose of the seminar is to give guidelines for work on the paper, and to help students start their preparation for paper writing. The theme of the paper is chosen and developed by the student her/himself preferably during the paper seminar, and must be approved by the supervisor. A typical form of a paper would be the essay form, where the author discusses either theoretical or applied/practical questions in the light of theoretical and empirical knowledge drawn from the field of environmental psychology. However, students with the necessary foundations in quantitative or qualitative research methods may choose to conduct a small empirical study.
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught once in two years.
The course is also listed under the following terms Autumn 2013, Autumn 2018.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Autumn 2016, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/autumn2016/ENS271