Experts increasingly see the slow policy response to climate change as having less to do with climate science and more to do with politics. That is, climate change is increasingly seen as a problem for the social sciences to address because the drivers of climate policy are political variables like the mobilization of social movements and incumbent industries, how policy processes allocate decision-making power, and the ideologies that structure public debates. This class explores different forms of politics (different ways of having and resolving debates about who our community is and what we will do together about the challenges we face) and their implications for policy. The readings mostly draw on political science, political theory, and law. We will also read op-eds and reports from advocates and journalists covering policy debates.
This is a small upper-level reading- and writing-intensive seminar that focuses on persuasive writing for a public audience and constructive criticism. The aim is to help you develop your own critique of various policy debates over what to do about our new relationship with our biosphere and communicate your ideas clearly.