University of St Andrews

Key information

SCOTCAT credits : 30

ECTS credits : 15

Level : SCQF level 10

Semester: 1

Availability restrictions: The school will operate a ballot system.

Planned timetable: Mon 1pm-4pm

Climate activism is becoming increasingly prevalent as the urgency of the climate crisis has increased and the variety of ways to practice activism have expanded, and is therefore an important lens through which to explore climate action and our understanding of activism. This module will take a cultural geography approach to climate activism, exploring discourse, meaning, representation, and the embodied practice of climate activism. The first half will introduce key theoretical concerns around what counts as activism/an activist and the implications of these to the practice and study of activism. The second half will be empirically focused, however, empirical examples will be integrated throughout. While the main empirical focus will be climate activism, the module will also draw from broader activism literature and examples, and students will be encouraged to apply their learning to other forms of activism and to reflect on their own encounters with activism.

Relationship to other modules

Pre-requisite(s): Before taking this module you must pass GG2011 and pass GG2012 or pass SD2001 and pass SD2002 or pass GG2013 and pass GG2014 and pass SD2100 or pass SD2005 and pass SD2006 and pass SD2100

Anti-requisite(s): You cannot take this module if you pass GG3277 or take GG3277

Learning and teaching methods and delivery

Weekly contact: 1 hour lecture (x 10 weeks), 2x1 hour seminar (x 10 weeks), 2 hour assessment drop in (x 4 weeks)

Scheduled learning hours: 30

Guided independent study hours: 270

Assessment pattern

As used by St Andrews: 100% Coursework


Re-assessment: 100% Coursework

Personnel

Module coordinator: Dr C E Lee
Module teaching staff: Dr Charlotte Lee
Module coordinator email cel24@st-andrews.ac.uk

Intended learning outcomes

• Describe and explain assumptions around activism and their implications for activist practice and academic study.
• Apply broader theoretical themes within human geography to the specific empirical example of climate activism, including scale, the everyday, agency, exclusion and othering.
• Understand broader cultural geography concerns including, meaning, discourse, representation and embodied practice.
• Appreciate the relevance of feminist, queer and indigenous knowledges to the topic of climate activism.
• Demonstrate increased skills in literature reviewing, textual analysis and autoethnographic writing and documenting.