POLITICS AND ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY

The course is among the interdisciplinary ones of the Bachelor's Degree Programme in Philosophy, International and Economic Studies.
It aims to unravel the connections between politics and the environment through a discussion of contemporary capitalism, with a particular focus on everyday consumption practices in the Minority World/Global North. It discusses the politics-capitalism-nature nexus in two main ways: firstly, by exploring the contradictions inherent in consumption; second, by focusing on the tension between the visibility and invisibility of nature in general, and non-human animals in particular, in our consumption practices and in the contemporary world. By emphasising the consequences of overconsumption on people, health and the environment, the course invites us to rethink consumption as political and not as an everyday practice that we tend to take for granted.

1. Knowledge and Understanding:

1.1 Learn the key concepts underlying critical approaches to consumption and the exploration of nature as a source of economic activity.
1.2 Understand that politics consists of practices that people engage in daily life (whether consciously or unconsciously).
1.3 Think of consumption as a series of political practices rather than an obvious, taken-for-granted activity.

2. Ability to Apply Knowledge and Understanding:

2.1 Critically reflect on consumption practices and their consequences on people and nature.
2.2 Learn to think of the world as more-than-human and imagine a more-than-human social and environmental justice.
2.3 Explore the possibilities of using creativity to communicate sustainability in a positive way.

3. Judgment Skills:

3.1 Assess the social and environmental sustainability of both mainstream and alternative production and consumption models.
3.2 Navigate sustainability debates and policies promoted by institutions and companies.

being able to read, write and understand English

The main contents of the course cover:
Power and politics
Capitalism and its impact on people and the environment
Nature
Consumption and its contradictions and consequences
The (in)visibility of nature: introducing the field of human-animal studies
The commodification of nature and animals: between visibility and invisibility
Commodities as bundles of socio-technical and environmental relations
The politics of consumption: following commodities

The instructor will upload on Moodle relevant papers and chapters, which may include:
Cook, I and Crang, P. “Consumption and its geographies” in Daniels, P., Bradshaw, M., Shaw, D., Sisaway, J., & Hall, T. (2016). An introduction to human geography, Pearson
Cook, I., Evans, J., Griffiths, H., Mayblin, L., Payne, B., & Roberts, D. (2007). Made in…? Appreciating the everyday geographies of connected lives.
Angus, T., Cook, I., & Evans, J. (2001). A manifesto for cyborg pedagogy?. International Research in Geographical and Environmental Education, 10(2), 195-201.
Colombino, A., & Giaccaria, P. (2021). The Posthuman imperative: From the question of the animal to the questions of the animals. The philosophy of geography, 191-210.
Colombino and Bruckner (2023) “Hidden in plain sight: How (and why) to attend to the animal in human animal relations” in Colombino, A. Bruckner, H. K. (eds.) “Methods in Human-Animal Studies: Engaging with animals through the social sciences”, Routledge.
Healy, S. (2020). Alternative economies. International encyclopedia of human geography, 111-117.
Boström, M. (2023). The social life of unsustainable mass consumption. Bloomsbury Publishing PLC.

The exam consists of an in-person written test on Moodle, including 5 open-ended questions to be answered within a maximum of 50 minutes. The first 4 questions are compulsory and are worth 7.5 points each. The fifth question is worth 1 point, is intended for distinctions (lode), and will be graded only if the previous 4 answers are each awarded 7.5 points, for a total of 30 points.

The questions are based on all the texts uploaded to Moodle by the lecturer during the course and on what was discussed in class.
The instructor reserves the right to complement the written exam with an oral interview if deemed necessary to ensure that the work was completed independently and honestly.

written

The instructor is responsible for ensuring the authenticity and originality of all examinations and coursework. In cases of suspected academic misconduct, an additional on-site assessment may be required during the exams, which may differ from the standard format.

The exam consists of an in-person written test on Moodle with 5 open-ended questions to be completed in 50 minutes.
• Questions 1–4 are compulsory and worth 7.5 points each
• Question 5 is optional, worth 1 additional point, and is considered only for the award of honours

Scoring structure
• Questions 1–4 are worth a maximum total of 30 points
• The minimum passing grade is 18/30
• Question 5 is graded only if the first four answers have all received full marks, that is, 7.5 points each, for a total of 30/30
• If Question 5 is also answered successfully, the final mark is 30/30 with honours

Final grading scale
• Below 18/30 = fail
• 18/30 to 29/30 = pass
• 30/30 = highest mark
• 30/30 with honours = awarded only to students who obtain full marks on Questions 1–4 and answer Question 5 successfully

Lecture-based teaching and class discussion on topics and texts proposed by the instructor.

The lecturer will upload to Moodle all the materials on which the lectures are based and which are necessary for preparing the exam. Students are advised to check the course's Moodle page during and after the lectures.
NB: Registration for the exam is managed by the electronic system of the University and not by the lecturer. ONLY the students registered in the list provided by the electronic system can take the exam.
Ca’ Foscari abides by Italian Law (Law 17/1999; Law 170/2010) regarding support services and accommodation available to students with disabilities. This includes students with mobility, visual, hearing and other disabilities (Law 17/1999), and specific learning impairments (Law 170/2010). If you have a disability or impairment that requires accommodations (i.e., alternate testing, readers, note takers or interpreters) please contact the Disability and Accessibility Offices in Student Services: disabilita@unive.it

This subject deals with topics related to the macro-area "Climate change and energy" and contributes to the achievement of one or more goals of U. N. Agenda for Sustainable Development