Human societies and their natural environments are interdependent. This course studies society-environment relationships ... including through human history to better understand contemporary environmental issues. It covers such topics as the role of the environment in the development of different levels of societal organization ('civilisation'), some relevant sociological theories (in brief), the 'population problem', personal and household energy consumption, infectious diseases in society, the limits to growth debate, energy and cities, global dimensions of environmental problems, the environmental movement, optimistic and pessimistic predictions for the future, and so on.  Participants can examine environmentally related issues of particular interest to them.

The course aims to assist students in learning how to;

• Use modern tools to find credible information on questions of interest.
• Critically evaluate a range of protentially relevant material.
• Assemble material in a manner that provides well-supported answers to relevant questions.
• Gain an overview of society-environment relationships through history, an understanding of some contemporary environmental issues and the implications of all of this for our future.

Presentation paper (essay) 1500 words (35%); synthesis essay 1500 words (35%); presentation (outline plus visuals) (20%); tutorial participation (10%).

20 hours of lectures and 12 hours of tutorials. Lectures will be taped.

Any two first-year courses from Sociology, Anthropology, Archaeology, Political Science, or the Science Faculty, or permission of the lecturer.

Michael Mayerfeld Bell (with Michael S. Carolan), An Invitation of Environmental Sociology, Edition 3, Pine Forge Press, 2009.