Studying at York
Environmental Justice, Harm, & Policy - SPY00058H
Module summary
The distribution of environmental ‘goods’ (such as clean air, water, fuel and so on) and ‘bads’ (including pollution, exposure to hazards etc.) often falls along the lines of existing systemic social divisions such as generation, gender, race/ethnicity and social class. Furthermore, at the global level, these distributions often fall unequally across developed and developing countries.
The module covers three core elements:
- Patterns of environmental harm
- Addressing these patterns through policymaking
- Enforcing policy and punishing offenders
Professional requirements
N/A
Module will run
| Occurrence | Teaching period |
|---|---|
| A | Semester 2 2024-25 |
Module aims
The module covers three core elements:
1.Exploring patterns of environmental harm
The distribution of environmental ‘goods’ (such as clean air, water, fuel and so on) and ‘bads’ (including pollution, exposure to hazards etc.) often falls along the lines of existing systemic social divisions such as generation, gender, race/ethnicity and social class. Furthermore, at the global level, these distributions often fall unequally across developed and developing countries. The environmental justice movement suggests that more needs to be done to address these inequalities. The module will explore these distributions in depth.
2. Explaining patterns of environmental harm
Whilst policy and regulatory frameworks have been designed to limit exposure to particular environmental harms, for example, placing limitations on the type and amount of pollution a factory can emit, these do not always provide sufficient protection to humans and non-humans. Moreover, existing regulations are often breached with very few consequences. The module will explore how breaches of regulation/policy/law occur, and how they are handled. Time will be dedicated to:
-
Exploring corporate environmental crimes through the Deep Water Horizon case study
-
Exploring state harms via an exploration of illegal patterns of electronic waste
3. Addressing these patterns of harm through policy
The module will consider the challenges of making policies that rectify the unequal distribution of environmental goods and bads. Specific focus will be given to:
-
The challenges of agreeing to take action at the global level - for example, making agreeing on climate policies that take account of unequal distributions of environmental harm;
-
Understanding national policymaking – considering the dilemmas that policymakers must face when attempting to make environmental policies;
-
Considering issues of power and voice at the local policy level – who has the ability to influence policy and who does not.
Specific Module Aims:
1. To explore how theories of environmental justice, harm, and crime can help us understand existing patterns of environmental problems
2. To explore the relationship between society and environmental harm
2. To critically investigate patterns of environmental harm
3. To consider the role of the state in addressing or enabling environmental harms
3. To consider how these patterns of environmental harm have been addressed through policymaking
4. To critically evaluate the effectiveness of policy responses
Module learning outcomes
1. Understand the causes of environmental harm and subsequent human impacts
2. Recognise and critically investigate the unequal distributions of environmental ‘bads’ and ‘goods’ and the main drivers of these inequalities
3. Draw on key theories of environmental (in) justice and harm to undertake analysis and explanation of unequal distributions of environmental harm
4. Critically evaluate policy responses that attempt to address unequal distributions of environmental harm
Module content
An introduction to environmental harm, justice, and policy making
Climate Justice: Understanding and addressing global inequalities
Environmental racism: the case of the USA
Climate change and fuel poverty: English policy dilemmas
Hunger in a changing environment
Gendered disasters
Disabling environments
Environmental crime: punishing offenders
Participation and protest
The future of environmental justice debates
Indicative assessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 100 |
Special assessment rules
None
Indicative reassessment
| Task | % of module mark |
|---|---|
| Essay/coursework | 100 |
Module feedback
Feedback will be given in accordance with the University Policy on feedback in the Guide to Assessment as well as in line with the School policy.
Indicative reading
Agyeman, J., Bullard, D., and Evans, B (2002) Exploring the Nexus: Bringing Together Sustainability, Environmental Justice and Equity, Space and Polity, 6:1, 77-90
Anand, R. (2004) International Environmental Justice, London: Routledge,
Schlosberg, D. (2013) Theorising environmental justice: the expanding sphere of a discourse, Environmental Politics, 22:1, 37-55
Snell, C.J., Bevan, M., and Thomson, H. (2015) Justice, fuel poverty and disabled people in England, Energy Research and Social Science, 10: pp 123-132
Snell, C. and Haq, G. (2014) A Short Guide to Environmental Policy Policy Press, Bristol
Vanderheiden, S. (2015) Environmental Justice, London: Routledge,
Pearse, R. (2017) Gender and climate change, WIREs Clim Change, 8: e451.
Pellow, D. (2016) Toward a Critical Environmental Justice Studies: Black Lives Matter as an Environmental Justice Challenge. Du Bois Review: Social Science Research on Race, 13(2), 221-236.