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POL S 403 A: Advanced Seminar In International Relations

Meeting Time: 
TTh 1:30pm - 3:20pm
Location: 
SAV 137
SLN: 
19403
Instructor:
Aseem Prakash
Aseem Prakash
Note: 
Climate Politics and Governance

Syllabus Description:

Climate Politics and Governance

(POL S 403b)

Aseem Prakash

Winter 2022

 

Class Time:

Tuesday and Thursday, 1:30-3:20 

Savery 137

 

The first week of this course will be conducted via live Zoom sessions at the scheduled class times. These sessions will be recorded and will capture the presenter’s audio, video and computer screen. Student audio and video will be recorded if they share their computer audio and video during the recorded session. The recordings will only be accessible to students enrolled in the course. These recordings will not be shared with or accessible to the public. Students may opt to keep their cameras off or change their Zoom screen name to conceal personal identifying information.

 

Online Office Hours:    

For an appointment, please email <aseem@uw.edu>

 

Course Objective

Climate change is perhaps the defining challenge of our time. Because it critically affects every aspect of our life, climate governance is complex and contested. There are several ways climate policies can support economic growth and create new opportunities. But climate policies can also create winners and losers and create social conflict. This undergraduate seminar will examine important policy issues in climate governance such as mitigation and adaptation policies, climate migration, climate justice, and climate finance. We will examine how well the existing approaches and institutions are working, and what new initiatives can help us respond to the climate challenge.

 

Readings

Readings are either uploaded on Canvas or I have provided the article URL. Also, an easy way to access (many) articles is to copy and paste the article title in <scholar.google.com>.

 

Course Expectations

This course requires active student participation (if you are in a different time zone and will view the recorded seminar only, please get in touch with me). You are expected to energetically and thoughtfully contribute to class discussions in the following ways.

 

Writing Memos

Article memos

For every session, students will be assigned an article to present and critique. The discussant-presenter should prepare a two-page (single-spaced) “Article Memo” which summarizes the article, examines its strengths and weaknesses, and identifies questions it raises for future research. Please email this memo to me by Sunday noon for the Tuesday class, and by Wednesday noon for the Thursday class. The discussant-presenter should budget about 10 minutes for the in-class oral presentation. In the course of this quarter, you will probably be assigned to present 2 or 3 articles.

 

Key questions memo

I expect seminar participants to review all the assigned readings prior to the class.  Based on these readings for a given session, you will write a “Key questions” memo.  In this memo, identify two or three questions or issues that emerge from the assigned readings, along with a rationale as to why these questions are important. Your “Key Questions Memo” should be about one-page (single-spaced) and reach me by Monday noon for the Tuesday class, and by Wednesday noon for the Thursday class.

 

I have divided the course into three modules with about seven class sessions for every module.  You need to write 2 key question memos (for two different class sessions) from every module (this means, 6 key question memos in total). Think of Module 1. Suppose you like readings from session 3. After reading the articles assigned for this session, think of two or three overarching questions that you believe emerge from these readings and should be discussed in the class.

 

Please note: If you are assigned to present a specific article for session 3 (and writing an article memo), you will not write a key question memo for this session.

 

Research Paper

Identify two countries, cities, or firms and compare how they are responding to climate change (note: you cannot write on the US, Washington state, Seattle, King County, and China). Specifically:

 

  • Identify two units you wish to study.
  • Briefly explain how they are similar or different (the rationale for

comparing them)?

  • Specify the policies (mitigation and/or adaptation) you will be

comparing.

-           Why are you focusing on these policies; what do you think they might

reveal about these units' climate policies.

-           Do you expect the responses of these units will be similar or different?

Why?

-           Therefore what? How do you think this study might move forward your

understanding of climate policy?

 

Please write in regular prose and not in bullet points. The one-page outline is due February 1 and a five-page (single-spaced; excluding references and tables) research paper is due March 10. I recommend structuring your paper in sections and subsections.

 

We will also schedule presentations (10 minutes per student) towards the end of the quarter

 

Evaluation

In total, you can score 100 points. To convert this into a 4-point scale, I will simply divide it by 25.

 

Article Memos:                  30 points (10 points per memo * 3 memos)

Key Questions Memos:   30 points (5 points per memo * 6 memos)

Class Participation:          20 points

Research Paper:                10 points

Research Presentation:  10 points

 

Total: 100 points

 

Note

I reserve the right to change the syllabus without prior notice.

 

Religious Accommodation

Washington state law requires that UW develop a policy for accommodation of student absences or significant hardship due to reasons of faith or conscience, or for organized religious activities. The UW’s policy, including more information about how to request an accommodation, is available at Faculty Syllabus Guidelines and Resources. Accommodations must be requested within the first two weeks of this course using the Religious Accommodations Request form available at https://registrar.washington.edu/students/religious-accommodations-request/

 

Class Schedule

_____________________________________Module1_________________________________________

 

Session 1

Tuesday, January 4

Syllabus and course expectations

 

  1. Can ‘the people’ solve climate change? France decided to find out

https://grist.org/international/citizens-assembly-convention-climate-france-macron/?utm_campaign=ask-umbra&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter

 

  1. Think You’re Making Good Climate Choices? Take This Mini-Quiz

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/08/30/climate/climate-footprint-quiz.html?action=click&module=Editors%20Picks&pgtype=Homepage

 

 

 

Session 2

Thursday, January 6

Overview

HEIDI

  1. Can we save the planet by shrinking the economy?

            https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/22408556/save-planet-shrink-economy-d...

SAM

  1. We Made Wildfire an Enemy for 110 Years. It Could Have Been an Ally.

            https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/22/us/forest-fires-fighting-history.html?campaign_id=54&emc=edit_clim_20200923&instance_id=22456&nl=climate-fwd%3A&regi_id=84813424&segment_id=38836&te=1&user_id=dd4629c858e97868ee43a18e3a68e37b

ZOE LEW

  1. Climate Strikes: What They Accomplish and How They Could Have More Impact

https://www.forbes.com/sites/prakashdolsak/2019/09/14/climate-strikes-what-they-accomplish-and-how-they-could-have-more-impact/#7c5331805eed

BRANDON

  1. How SUVs conquered the world — at the expense of its climate

https://grist.org/climate/how-suvs-conquered-the-world-at-the-expense-of...

NATE

  1. The dark side of ‘green energy’ and its threat to the nation’s environment

https://www.deseret.com/utah/2021/1/30/22249311/why-green-energy-isnt-so-green-and-poses-harm-to-the-environment-hazardous-waste-utah-china-solar

 

 Session 3

Tuesday, January 11

Perspective and approaches

GRANT

  1. On the divergent American reactions to terrorism and climate change.

            Canvas.

RACHEL G

  1. Climate change and the Syrian civil war revisited.

            Canvas.

RACHEL H

  1. Tree planting 'has mind-blowing potential' to tackle climate crisis

            https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/jul/04/planting-billions-trees-best-tackle-climate-crisis-scientists-canopy-emissions

 ERIC

  1. The ‘Green Energy’ That Might Be Ruining the Planet

            https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2021/03/26/biomass-carbon-climate-politics-477620

PALMER

  1. The Activists Who Embrace Nuclear Power

            https://www.newyorker.com/tech/annals-of-technology/the-activists-who-embrace-nuclear-power

 

Session 4

Thursday, January 13

Challenges in climate mitigation

NICOLE

  1. Institutionalizing delay: foundation funding and the creation of US climate change counter-movement organizations.

            Canvas

LILY

  1. Cool dudes: The denial of climate change among conservative White males in the United States.

            Canvas

DAVID

  1. Solar federalism: What explains the variation in solar capacity additions by India’s states?

http://sites.utexas.edu/busby/files/2021/01/1-s2.0-S221462962030390X-main.pdf

MARISSA

  1. Do Windy Areas have more Wind Turbines: An Empirical Analysis of Wind Installed Capacity in Native Tribal Nations.  Canvas

RACHEL L

  1. The Quest to Trap Carbon in Stone—and Beat Climate Change, Canvas

 

Session 5

Tuesday, January 18

Barriers to climate response

EMMA ROSE

  1. How climate change could spark the next home mortgage disaster

            https://www.politico.com/news/2020/11/30/climate-change-mortgage-housing...

ZOE M

  1. Jobs And Climate Change: America's (Rust) Belt And Road Initiative

            https://www.forbes.com/sites/prakashdolsak/2019/07/14/jobs-and-climate-change-americas-rust-belt-and-road-initiative/#60a8c5245f54

EMMA MERCER

  1. Carbon leakages through trade

            https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/04/climate/outsourcing-carbon-emissions....

 IAN

  1. Palm Oil Was Supposed to Help Save the Planet. Instead It Unleashed a Catastrophe.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/20/magazine/palm-oil-borneo-climate-catastrophe.html

 EMILY ROSE

  1. The Battle of Thacker Pass: Electric cars require a lot of lithium. A showdown in Nevada shows that getting it won’t be easy.

https://grist.org/climate/the-west-has-a-new-front-in-the-war-over-elect...

 

Session 6

Thursday, January 20

New issues

RAENY

  1. How New England bungled its plan to transition to renewable energy.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/dec/29/maine-renewable-energy-hydropower-new-england

JEN

  1. Solar geoengineering as part of an overall strategy for meeting the 1.5 C Paris target.

            Canvas

HYUNG

  1. Chile Writes Its Constitution, Confronting Climate Change Head On

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/12/28/climate/chile-constitution-climate-ch...

JAMES

  1. Legal Experts Define a New Global Crime: ‘Ecocide

            https://insideclimatenews.org/news/22062021/ecocide-definition-panel-international-crime/

TIFFANY

  1. Industrial Agriculture, an Extraction Industry Like Fossil Fuels, a Growing Driver of Climate Change

            https://insideclimatenews.org/news/25012019/climate-change-agriculture-farming-consolidation-corn-soybeans-meat-crop-subsidies?utm_source=InsideClimate+News&utm_campaign=421af59ce8-&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_29c928ffb5-421af59ce8-327930529

 

_________________________________________ Module  2 ___________________________________

 

Session 7

Tuesday, January 25

Adaptation

LUCY

  1. The politics of climate change adaptation

            https://www.annualreviews.org/doi/10.1146/annurev-environ-102017-025739

ERIN

  1. High mountain communities and climate change: adaptation, traditional ecological knowledge, and institutions.

            Canvas

 SAM

  1. Farmworkers at Risk

            https://www.ucsusa.org/sites/default/files/2019-12/farmworkers-at-risk-r...

HEIDI

  1. In the waterlogged Netherlands, climate change is considered neither a hypothetical nor a drag on the economy. Instead, it’s an opportunity.

https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/06/15/world/europe/climate-change-rotterdam.html

 

Session 8

Thursday, January 27

Incorporating adaptation in the policy process

NATE

  1. Exploring the Adaptation-Mitigation Relationship: Does Information on the Costs of Adapting to Climate Change Influence Support for Mitigation?

            Canvas

GRANT

  1. Outdoor Recreation and Climate Adaptation

https://houserepublicans.wa.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/OrcaPlanReport-FINAL-112421.pdf

 RACHEL H

  1. Barriers to Municipal Climate Adaptation: Examples From Coastal Massachusetts’ Smaller Cities and Towns

            https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/01944363.2014.949590?src=recsys

 RACHEL G

  1. The Jersey shore would rather fight flooding with walls than retreat

            https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2017-05-04/the-jersey-shore-would-rather-fight-flooding-with-walls-than-retreat

 

Paper outline is due

Session 9

Tuesday, February 1

Droughts and climate change

ERIC

  1. Wall Street Eyes Billions in the Colorado’s Water

            https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/03/business/colorado-river-water-rights....

PALMER

  1. In southeastern Arizona, farms drill a half-mile deep while families pay the price

            https://www.azcentral.com/in-depth/news/local/arizona-environment/2019/12/05/wells-drying-up-around-willcox-where-effort-change-groundwater-rules-failed/2357906001/

BRANDON

  1. Managing drought risk in a changing climate: The role of national drought policy.

            Canvas

ERIN

  1. Drought and the Future of Rural Communities: Opportunities and challenge for climate change adaptation in regional Victoria, Australia

            Canvas

 

 

Session 10

Thursday, February 3

Global Energy Transition

Guest Speaker: Scott Montgomery

 

  1. World Energy Outlook 2021: Executive Summary

            https://prod.iea.org/reports/world-energy-outlook-2021/executive-summary

 

  1. Green Upheaval New Geopolitics of Energy

Canvas

 

  1. The energy debate over "green colonialism" in Africa

Canvas

 

Session 11

Tuesday, February 8

Climate migration

ZOE L

  1. What can we learn from the practice of development-forced displacement and resettlement for organised resettlements in response to climate change?

            https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0016718514002322?casa_token=yVp0TDLmKTgAAAAA:eIZZaQc5GChqU_c56yL2KUctIZue4QBYUB5iUCzCwrja7cHgZyOSeQ5pIxY1C9a-yAPB4uMYdQ

LILY

  1. The climate crisis, migration, and refugees

            https://www.brookings.edu/research/the-climate-crisis-migration-and-refugees/

DAVID

  1. Climate change as a migration driver from rural and urban Mexico.

            Canvas.

MARISSA

  1. The impact of climate change on tribal communities in the US: displacement, relocation, and human rights. 

            Canvas.

RACHEL L

  1. Willingness to Help Climate Migrants: A Survey Experiment in the Korail Slum of Dhaka, Bangladesh

            Canvas

 

Session 12

Thursday, February 10

Gender and climate change

EMMA

  1. Effects of gender on climate change knowledge and concern in the American public. 

            Canvas.

ZOE M

  1. Virtue and vulnerability: Discourses on women, gender and climate change.

            Canvas

IAN

  1. Is adaptation to climate change gender neutral? Lessons from communities dependent on livestock and forests in northern Mali.

            Canvas

RAENY

  1. The Role of Gender and Caste in Climate Adaptation Strategies in Nepal

            https://bioone.org/journals/mountain-research-and-development/volume-31/issue-4/MRD-JOURNAL-D-10-00085.1/The-Role-of-Gender-and-Caste-in-Climate-Adaptation-Strategies/10.1659/MRD-JOURNAL-D-10-00085.1.full

 

Session 13

Tuesday, February 15

Climate justice

JEN

  1. Three Faces of Climate Justice

            Canvas

EMILY

  1. California’s plan to slash solar subsidies seems backwards. It’s not                                https://grist.org/energy/californias-plan-to-slash-solar-subsidies-seems...

 

HYUNG

  1. Can California’s Cap and Trade Actually Address Environmental Justice?

            https://www.yesmagazine.org/environment/2020/11/20/california-pollution-cap-trade?utm_source=Sightline%20Institute&utm_medium=web-email&utm_campaign=Sightline%20News%20Selections

JAMES

  1. Is carbon offsetting the solution? (Or part of the problem?)

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2007/jun/10/ethicalliving.carbonemissions

TIFFANY

  1. Urban Heatwaves Are Worse For Low-Income Neighborhoods

https://www.forbes.com/sites/prakashdolsak/2020/08/14/urban-heatwaves-are-worse-for-low-income-neighborhoods/#560f3c0819d5

 

 

 

_____________________________________Module 3________________________________________

 

Session 14

Thursday, February 17

 

Climate finance and insurance

LUCY

57. Wildfires Hasten Another Climate Crisis: Homeowners Who Can’t Get Insurance

            https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/02/climate/wildfires-insurance.html?acti...

SAM

58. A broke, and broken, flood insurance program

            https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/04/business/a-broke-and-broken-flood-insurance-program.html?hp&action=click&pgtype=Homepage&clickSource=story-heading&module=first-column-region&region=top-news&WT.nav=top-news&_r=0

 

HEIDI

59. Rising seas may wipe out these Jersey towns, but they're still rated AAA

            https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-05-25/investors-say-it-s-time-to-price-climate-into-cities-bond-risks

 

NATE

60. Federal Report Warns of Financial Havoc From Climate Change

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/08/climate/climate-change-financial-markets.html?utm_source=Sightline%20Institute&utm_medium=web-email&utm_campaign=Sightline%20News%20Selections

GRANT

61. A Managed decline for Oil-Dependent Regions: How sovereign wealth funds can support a just transition to clean energy .

https://www.sightline.org/2020/09/08/a-managed-decline-for-oil-dependent...

 

 

Session 15

Tuesday, February 22

 

Climate Anxiety

Guest Speaker: Dr. Robert Berley

 

62. Adams, M. “Apocalypse When? (Not) thinking or talking about climate change 

https://archive.discoversociety.org/2015/03/01/apocalypse-when-not-think...

63. Resources for working with Climate emotions - A collaboration between Gen Dread and The All We Can Save Project., https://gendread.substack.com/p/resources-for-working-with-climate

64. Recognizing Eco-Anxiety - What It Is and Ways You Might Be Affected, https://www.shondaland.com/live/body/a30470585/recognizing-eco-anxiety-w...

Canvas

Session 16

Thursday, February 24

Consumer responsibility

RACHEL G

65. Consumers' preferences for carbon labels and the underlying reasoning. A mixed methods approach in 6 European countries

            https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0959652617332304?casa_token=x7hui0L6eP8AAAAA:mZ7QxqiRq48Gk935TCXEiJP7kTyCC1gdf3igAS9ert8Ye7KXc1xQwop-IdqiiRyL2qp_PkKo4g

RACHEL H

66. Consumer Readiness to Reduce Meat Consumption for the Purpose of Environmental Sustainability: Insights from Norway

            https://www.mdpi.com/2071-1050/10/9/3058/htm

ERIC

67. Carbon labels in tourism: persuasive communication?

            Canvas

 PALMER

68. Consumer behavior and climate change: consumers need considerable assistance

            https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352154621000309

 

Session 17

Tuesday, March 1

Business dimension

BRANDON

69. Performative and political: Corporate constructions of climate change risk

            https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1350508415572038?casa_token=9ibudzGktv8AAAAA%3AYmOOngdpY3_CrMgPyCU_rDVXzhG3UDfI8Cg4mtOBPHuGt8glKMgcUqrrttEtB2IjFlZXWvdh_0sQ

ERIN

70. The Power to Stay: Climate, Cocoa, and the Politics of Displacement

          Canvas

ZOE LEW

71. An ESG Reckoning Is Coming

            https://hbr.org/2021/03/an-esg-reckoning-is-coming

LILY

72. The impact of climate change on the pattern of demand for bottled water and non-alcoholic beverages.

            Canvas

 DAVID

73.

Different Approaches to Reducing Aviation Emissions: Reviewing the Structure-Agency Debate in Climate Policy.

Canvas

Session 18

Thursday, March 3

Mcphail Zoe
Murphy Ian Michael
Muterspaugh Emily Rose
Nichols Raeny Michal
Ortiz Jen
Park Hyung Min
Rasmussen James Vincent
Terry Lucy Ella

 

Session 19

Tuesday, March 7

In-class presentations

 Shin Tiffany

Palmer Holt

Howe Brandon
Kelly Erin Nicole
Kinyon Lily Anne
Lin David Chen
Look Marissa Miu-Wah
Luther Rachel
Maggioncalda Emma 

 

Research Paper is due

Session 20

Thursday, March 10

In-class presentations

 Lew Zoe

Barbezat Sam
Cahill Heidi Rose
Denke Nate
Fourkas Grant Peter
Glessner Rachel
Hinnant Rachel Solenne
Holmquist Eric David

Catalog Description: 
Examination of contemporary developments in the field of international relations. Content varies according to the nature of developments and research interests of the instructor.
Department Requirements: 
International Relations Field
GE Requirements: 
Social Sciences (SSc)
Writing (W)
Credits: 
5.0
Status: 
Active
Last updated: 
October 14, 2021 - 9:46am
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