Programme details and objectives
Specifically, the aim of the Environment and Sustainability specialisation is to offer a mix of theoretical and practical skills that are needed to address the linked challenges of environment, poverty and justice.
In this specialisation, we draw on material from across multiple regions, and explore practices, forms of governance, ethnographies, economics and scenario developments for sustainability, resilience and a livable planetary future. You will be encouraged to understand how policy is shaped and constrained, and to develop ideas for future policies and strategies to deliver improved human wellbeing, environmental justice and environmental outcomes in the 21st century.
The dynamics of development and international affairs can no longer be understood separately from their environmental dimensions. Environmental and human futures are intertwined in complex ways, and addressing them demands novel forms of interdisciplinary understanding. This specialisation offers you the opportunity to unravel the complexities of contemporary environmental governance, exploitation and conservation, and their significance for human wellbeing.
The courses within this specialisation fall under several distinct themes: Agriculture and Agrarian Development; Environmental History and Societal Development; Climate Problems and Policies; Conservation and Local People; Environmental Governance, Movements and Institutions; Extractive Industries and Natural Resources. The breadth of topics covered within the specialisation allows you to draw from a wide range of perspectives and approaches in considering the generation and resolution of environmental problems, and the means of creating sustainable solutions.