Current active course description (last updated 2024/25)
Society, Climate Change and the Environment
SO216S
Current active course description (last updated 2024/25)
Society, Climate Change and the Environment
SO216S
The course addresses current societal issues associated with changing climatic and environmental conditions. The climate is changing and the environment is under pressure from both such changes and increased demand for resources. The various issues are buildt around the Arctic, local communities, global warming and environmental questions.
The course addresses current societal issues associated with changing climatic and environmental conditions. The climate is changing and the environment is under pressure from both such changes and increased demand for resources. Climate change will also result in new opportunities in the northern regions, which society will have to balance against the challenges and potential conflicts increased activity may create for policies and local communities. The course is designed to address anthropogenic climate change and environmental challenges across global, national and local levels and individuals role in these issues. The course addresses topics like sustainability, science, policies, human consumption, transformation to a low-carbon world, climate adaptation, equity, conflict, nature-society connections, and different risks associated with climate change.
Basic requirement for university admission
Upon successful completion of this course, the student will have the following learning outcomes:
Knowledge
- has broad knowledge of climate change and associated environmental problems and environmental sociology theories
- has knowledge about the central social science approaches and questions in climate change and human-environment research.
- has knowledge of sustainable development and environmental policy challenges in today's society
- understands the ethical challenges involved in research within environmental sociology
Skills
- can apply professional environmental sociology concepts on relevant environmental and societal issues
- can identify the most common environmental sociology perspectives
- can acquire new and updated knowledge about society, climate change and the environment
- is able to present well-substantiated arguments in discussions of the subject, and draw on general social science theory
- can locate, assess and cite academic and technical literature and information and present this in a manner that address a topic in a scientific way
- is able to analyze text from the most common sources - in the media and academic literature
General competence
- is able to plan and carry out seminar assignments and presentations related to the topic
- can convey key environmental sociological subject matter which theories, issues and challenges, both in writing and orally
- is able to apply the accumulated knowledge for writing a Bachelor thesis within the subject of the course
No costs except semester registration fee and course literature. It is required that students possess their own laptop.
Compulsory for students at Bachelor in Sociology and Social Analysis. Elective for other students.
Lectures and seminars, various student activities, and teaching methods. Seminars based on the use of current media reports.
The study programme is evaluated annually by students by way of course evaluation studies (mid-term evaluation and final evaluation). These evaluations are included in the university's quality assurance system.
One week individual take home exam.
None
SOS1001 Classical and Modern Sociological Theory, SO114S Introduction to Sociological Theory
Overlap refers to a similarity between courses with the same content. Therefore, you will receive the following reduction in credits if you have taken the courses listed below:
SO114S - Introduction to Sociological Theory - 5 credits
SO114S - Introduction to Sociological Theory - 5 credits