Objectives:
Together, we will interrogate how structural forces (such as capitalism, racism, and white privilege) contribute to producing environmental injustice, and how dimensions of race, gender, class, and other axes of socio-spatial difference shape experiences of the environment. We will also examine the city as a site and object of environmental activism, critically analyzing grassroots and community-led forms of organizing and resistance.
The course is divided into two sections. In the first, we examine key perspectives and debates in urban studies, and how these have been used to understand, explain, and analyze environmental injustices. In the second part of the course, we apply and test these perspectives by examining a range of environmental topics (including urban adaptation, disasters, water infrastructure, waste, and air quality).
Choose your case study (one city outside of the 50 states of the U.S. and excluding its territories) and topic (e.g. water, infrastructure, air pollution, climate adaptation… see the syllabus for ideas or email me to set up an appointment to talk about it).
Case study city: Accra, Ghana.
Environmental Topic: Infrastructure & how it’s absence or presence leads to environmental injustices : examine causes, what factors or structures contribute to these injustices. Be specific about the environmental injustices you are addressing in the topic.
Use objectives as a guide for your topic.
Identify 3 sources related to your chosen city and/or topic. These should be academic sources.
Write annotations of around 150-200 words for each source. Annotations should focus on assessing and reflecting on each source individually.
https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/common_writing_assignments/annotated_bibliographies/
Prepare a document that includes:
Your name;
Preliminary title of your final research paper;
Your chosen city;
The environmental justice topic/issue you will explore (2-3 sentences);
Why this topic matters and is significant (2-3 sentences)
The three sources and annotations. Provide full, properly formatted references for each source, followed by the annotation. Organize sources alphabetically. For formatting style, review these samples ( https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/common_writing_assignments/annotated_bibliographies/annotated_bibliography_samples.html ). Use APA citation style.
Rubric:
Clearly identifies a specific/bounded topic; significance explained convincingly.
Evidence of careful consideration of the topic.
High quality academic sources closely related to case study and/or topic
Strong critical assessment and reflection on the source, with explanation of it's usefulness in relation to the topic proposal and/or identification of relevant aspects or points of critique.
Evidence of close and critical engagement with sources.