Environment, Resources, Security (709IR)
Environment, Resources, Security
Module 709IR
Module details for 2025/26.
30 credits
FHEQ Level 7 (Masters)
Module Outline
• What is the link between climate change and conflict?
• Can securitisation and militarisation help stop the climate crisis and mass extinction?
• What causes water and food scarcity?
• How are contemporary ecological crises related to colonialism and capitalism?
• Can green growth address the climate crisis?
• And what resources, which environment, and whose security, are we actually talking about?
These are the key questions that you will critically investigate in this module. Reflecting on major theoretical approaches, we explore empirical case studies that illustrate contemporary challenges associated with environmental security, green militarisation, and resource conflict. We critically examine the local and global causes and effects of such conflicts, and the often-assumed links between – and discourses around – climate change, conflict, and migration. Environmental security issues have long played a relatively marginal role within International Relations and security studies. Ultimately the module asks: is this marginalisation at all warranted?
Module learning outcomes
Possess a systematic understanding and critical awareness of the major theoretical approaches (Malthusian, liberal, historical materialist, constructivist, post-colonial) to analysing the links between the environment, resources and security.
Understand and evaluate critically some of the major epistemological, methodological and conceptual issues in analysing the links between the environment, resources and security.
Engage in normative debate about what should be done in response to contemporary environmental and resource security challenges.
Possess comprehensive knowledge of a range of cases of contemporary environmental/resource conflict and insecurity, including of their causes, the debates surrounding them, and possible policy and other responses.
Formulate research questions and undertake original independent research on the environment, resources and security.
| Type | Timing | Weighting |
|---|---|---|
| Essay (5000 words) | Semester 2 Assessment Week 2 Tue 16:00 | 100.00% |
Timing
Submission deadlines may vary for different types of assignment/groups of students.
Weighting
Coursework components (if listed) total 100% of the overall coursework weighting value.
| Term | Method | Duration | Week pattern |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring Semester | Seminar | 3 hours | 11111111111 |
How to read the week pattern
The numbers indicate the weeks of the term and how many events take place each week.
Dr Melanie Richter-Montpetit
Assess convenor
/profiles/349663
Mx Emilia Moscardini-Powers
Assess convenor
/profiles/214700
Dr Anne Roemer-Mahler
Assess convenor
/profiles/285395
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