Spatial Implications of Environmental Change

Course manual 2024/2025

Course content

The climate and environment are changing at an accelerating pace, largely driven by human activity. Scientists now refer to a new historical epoch called the Anthropocene—a period in which human influence has become the dominant force shaping Earth’s climate, environment, and ecosystems. As the global population continues to grow, humans have dramatically reshaped Earth’s landscapes. In this course, we will study the Spatial Implications of Environmental Change.

In the first part of the course, we will examine core theoretical frameworks that inform our understanding of environmental change: environmental justice, climate justice, political economy, political ecology, and ontological pluralism. These theories provide a foundation for critically analyzing the causes, dynamics, and implications of the changing climate and environment.

Building on this theoretical foundation, the second part of the course adopts a thematic approach to explore specific consequences and responses. We will study human migration, conflict, managed retreat, and habitability as direct outcomes of environmental transformation. Furthermore, we will assess strategies for adaptation, including urban adaptation, infrastructure resilience, and broader efforts to safeguard vulnerable communities. Finally, we will delve into climate activism, examining current movements, their strategies, and the challenges they face.

By linking core theories to concrete themes, this course highlights the spatial dimensions of environmental change and situates the study of the Anthropocene within broader debates in human-environment geography and planning. It prepares students to critically evaluate the multifaceted challenges facing our planet today.

Study materials

Literature

• Academic articles (available on Canvas), and the book:

  Moseley, W. G., Perramond, E., Hapke, H., & Laris, P. (2014). An introduction to human-environment geography: Local dynamics and global processes. John Wiley & Sons.

Objectives

• Students are able to critically reflect on environmental changes and their relation with social and physical processes.
• Students have an understanding of different theoretical perspectives and be able to use them to reflect on environmental changes.
• Students understand the role of space and geography in analysing these changes.
• Students have an understanding of the existence of institutional arrangements (from local to global) and their functioning in serving the solution of environmental problems.
• Students are able to reflect on their own actions and their consequences for social-ecological systems.

Teaching methods

• Lecture
• Seminar

Lectures introduce the foundational theories and themes related to the Anthropocene, human-environment geography, and the spatial dimensions of environmental change. They provide students with the core knowledge needed to engage with course readings and in-class discussions.

Weekly tutorials build on the lectures and allow students to solidify the knowledge presented in the lecture. During the tutorials we will critically analyze and debate key ideas. The tutorials require an active engagement with the reading material, with your fellow students, and with the lecturers. To solidify your learning, read the texts before each lecture, revisit them before the tutorials, and review again in preparation for the final exam. All lectures and tutorials will take place on campus.

Learning activities

Attendance

Programme's requirements concerning attendance (OER-B):

• Participation in fieldwork is compulsory and cannot be replaced by assignments or other courses.
• In case of practical sessions, the student is obliged to attend at least of 90% of the sessions and to prepare himself adequately, unless indicated otherwise in the course manual. In case the student attends less than 90%, the practical sessions should be redone entirely.
• In case of tutorials/seminars with assignments, the student is obliged to attend at least 7 out of 8 seminars and to prepare thoroughly for these meetings, unless indicated otherwise in the course manual. If the course has more than 8 seminars, the student can miss up to 1 extra meeting for every (part of) 8 tutorials/seminars. If the students attends less than the mandatory tutorials/seminars, the course cannot be completed.

Additional requirements for this course:

You are expected to prepare for and participate during class, as a basic course requirement. Attending all scheduled education activities is strongly advised. By doing so, you actively contribute to a lively learning community and significantly improve your chances of successfully completing the course. The designated mandatory activities play a crucial role in achieving the course objectives and are essential for your overall progress. By registering for this course, you are complying with the rules regarding attendance and agreeing to actively prepare for and participate in the mandatory activities.

The weekly tutorials mainly focus on class discussions and group assignments. The material is not just limited to literature, but also involves articulating and applying the ideas, theories, and concepts from the literature. Therefore, the quality of the tutorials largely depends on the attendance, preparation, and active participation of every student.

Students are allowed to miss up to two tutorials. If a student misses more than two tutorials, the course cannot be successfully completed.

Assessment

The final grade is based on three components:

1. CALQs (30%)
   Each student submits a CALQ on Fridays, before each tutorial begins. There are 12 CALQs in total across the duration of the course. The CALQ for the first week is a trial run, to practice, so students will get an idea of what to expect from the weekly assignments, before we start grading. Out of the remaining 11 CALQs, two will be randomly selected for grading—one during Block 4 (Theory) and one during Block 5 (Themes). More information on the CALQs is available on Canvas.
2. Group Presentation (20%)
   The group presentation consists of a theoretical component, a case study component, and a creative component (discussion / in-class exercise designed by the students). More information on the group assignment is available on Canvas.
3. Final Exam (50%)
   At the end of the course, there will be a comprehensive final exam covering all assigned readings, lectures, and tutorial materials.

Assessment requirements & criteria:

Calculation: CALQs (30%), group presentation (20%), exam (50%) = 100% grade.

The exam covers all materials from blocks 4 and 5, and a minimum score of 5.5 is required to pass the course. A resit will be offered.

Students need ≥ 5.5 (average) in block 4 and block 5 to pass the course.

Assessment diagram

Students that were enrolled in the course in previous years

Partial results remain valid for one year. However, because the course assessment has changed significantly from previous years, please contact the course coordinator (r.j.vanduijne@uva.nl) before the course begins.

Inspection of assessed work

The moments of inspection for the exams will be communicated through Canvas.

Date final grade

The final grade will be announced within 15 workdays after the last deadline.

Feedback

The exam will be graded, and afterward you will have the opportunity to review your answers and ask questions if you have difficulty understanding the expected solutions. This review session will be organized within two weeks after the results are published. The tutorial lecturers are available to assist you if you find a topic challenging, but it is your responsibility to seek their help.

Assignments

There are assignments per article per topic. 

Fraud and plagiarism

The 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' applies to this course. This will be monitored carefully. Upon suspicion of fraud or plagiarism the Examinations Board of the programme will be informed. For the 'Regulations governing fraud and plagiarism for UvA students' see: www.student.uva.nl

Course structure

Additional information

We vinden het belangrijk dat je je op de UvA en bij Future Planet Studies veilig voelt. Krijg je onverhoopt te maken met ongewenst gedrag of voel je je onveilig, dan kun je terecht bij verschillende personen. Je melding wordt altijd vertrouwelijk behandeld. Kijk op onze website voor meer informatie over waar en bij wie je terecht kunt.

It is important that everyone feels safe at the UvA and Future Planet Studies. We are committed to provide social safety and we offer various forms of support for people experiencing inappropriate or unsafe situations. Consult the UvA website or Future Planet Studies Canvas page for more information and contact info.

Last year's student feedback

In order to provide students some insight how we use the feedback of student evaluations to enhance the quality of education, we decided to include the table below in all course guides.

Contact information

Coordinator

• dr. R.J. van Duijne PhD

Staff

• dr. K. Paiva Henrique PhD
• J. van der Klei
• J.V. Rothuizen
• L. de Groot
• S. van Mourik