Sociology 4047, Section 001 – Fall
2006
Inequality, Democracy, and the Environment
MWF
Professor:
Office/Phone: Ketchum 218A, 303-492-8626
E-mail:
Liam.Downey@colorado.edu
Office Hours: M, W
***IF YOU
MISS THE SECOND AND THIRD CLASSES***
***YOU WILL BE DROPPED FROM THE COURSE***
Course description: I developed this course because I believe it is important for students
to understand the relationship between inequality, democracy, and the
environment. In order to develop such an understanding, this course will
examine the relationship between the following factors:
·
Inequality and
democratic decision making in the
·
Undemocratic decision making and
·
Food
and energy policy on the one hand and global environmental degradation and war
on the other.
·
Undemocratic
corporate and
In addition to covering these
topics, I would like to spend some time addressing the following questions.
What kind of society would you like to live in? How can such
a society be created? How can we overcome or drastically reduce the
serious environmental problems we face? Are the types of
solutions proposed by mainstream environmentalists likely to succeed? If
not, why not and what should be done instead?
This is clearly a lot of
ground to cover and as a result we will be doing a lot
of reading this semester. Some of this reading will be drawn
from environmental studies and environmental sociology, but much of it will be
drawn from other sociological subfields, including economic sociology, rural
sociology, the sociology of development, and political sociology. It is my
contention that we cannot understand environmental problems, nor develop
solutions to these problems, without a firm grounding in these seemingly
non-environmental sociological subfields.
Finally, I am very excited
about teaching this class and hope that we all have a great semester!!!
Required
WebCT
You
can find on-line readings and an electronic copy of the syllabus on WebCT. I will also
use WebCT to post grades, assignments, and important
handouts, and to give last minute instructions. This means that you need to log
onto WebCT on a regular basis.
Logging onto WebCT:
Login
through CUConnect: (1) go to https://cuconnect.colorado.edu/
(2) login using your CU Login Name and IdentiKey
password; (3) after login, click on Courses tab; (4) on the left side of
screen, WebCT will display; (5) click on the link for
FA06: SOCY4047001; (6) click on the appropriate icon.
Adobe Acrobat:
In order to read most of the on-line readings, you need to have Adobe Acrobat
installed on your computer. If it is not installed, you can download it from: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep2.html
Books available at
the bookstore:
You have to
purchase this book
Klare, Michael T. 2004. Blood and Oil: The Dangers and Consequences of
America’s Growing Dependency on Imported Petroleum.
The following 2 books are optional: You either have to buy them or download the
appropriate pages/chapters.
Book 1: Hawken,
Paul, Amory Lovins, and L. Hunter Lovins. 1999. Natural Capitalism: Creating the Next Industrial Revolution.
After you get to the ‘Natural Capitalism’ website, click on the word ‘more’ that is associated with the chapter you want to read. Then, on the new web page, click on the ‘download the entire chapter’ link. The chapter will download for you. You can then save it to a disk or to your computer by clicking on the ‘save a copy’ icon. If you choose not to purchase this book, download and save the appropriate chapters immediately!!!
Book 2: Speth,
James Gustave. 2004. Red Sky at Morning:
Your grade in this
course will be based upon the following assignments:
Due
Date Points Toward Final Grade
1. 1
reading summary Nov.
3 5
points
2. 5
take home exams
Exam 1 Sept.
18 15
points
Exam 2 Oct.
9 20 points
Exam 3 Oct.
30 20 points
Exam 4 Nov.
13 20 points
Exam 5 Dec.
15 20 points
100 points
90-100
points = A
80 -
90 points = B
60 - 70 points = D
0 - 60 points = F
I WILL NOT NEGOTIATE GRADES
****All assignments MUST be turned in to me in class at the
beginning of the class for which they are due****
The exams: We are covering a lot of
material this semester. So instead of asking you to take 2 or 3 big, in-class
exams where you would have to remember weeks’ worth of material, I am going to
have you take 5 take-home exams. In these exams, I will ask you to answer 1-3
questions about the readings, lectures, and class discussions during the 3-4
weeks prior to the exam. For each exam, your answers should collectively add up
to 3-4 pages (typed and double spaced).
The reading summary and exams
must be printed on a computer (or
typed) using one-inch margins at the top and
bottom and 1.25-inch margins on the left and right. They must be double-spaced,
using a 12-point Times New Roman font. Staple
a cover page to your summary and exams so that you do not waste space on
your first page with your name and summary/exam title.
All written work must be original. In other words, do not use somebody else’s ideas
without properly citing the source of those ideas (your references must be
listed on a separate sheet). Keep direct quotes to an absolute minimum, but
clearly cite direct quotes when you use them. Remember, plagiarism is a serious
offense that can result in your failing the class.
Class
Participation: You will not be graded
on class participation. However, students tend to learn more when they
participate in class discussions and when they ask questions about material
that they find interesting or difficult to understand. Do not hesitate to ask questions in class. If you do not ask questions
about the course material I will assume you understand it.
Attendance: Regular class attendance is very important. Exam
questions will be based on the ideas and materials covered in class lectures,
class discussions, and the readings. You
will not do well in this course if you do not attend class and do the reading.
If you miss a class it is your responsibility to get lecture and discussion notes, as well
as other course information, from another student. If you still have questions
after talking with another student, please contact me.
Your grades will be based on your mastery of the course material as indicated by the substantive quality of
your work. Work has to be handed in to me in person, in class, and on time.
***I will not accept late summaries or
exams***
***There will be no make-up exams***
The only times I will make an exception to my late assignment and exam
policy is if you provide me with written proof of a death in your family, a
medical emergency, a court
date, a religious conflict, or your participation in a
university-supported activity
______________________________________________________________________________________
Weekly Topics and
Week 1: Environmental
Degradation
Aug. 28: No
Aug. 30: On-line:
Speth, pages (pp.) 13-36 and 43-55
Sept. 1: On-line: Hawken et al. pp. 144-159, 190-198 http://www.natcap.org/sitepages/pid20.php
Week 2: Inequality /
Natural Capitalism
Sept. 4:
Sept. 6: On-line: Kerbo, pp. 21-47
On-line: Anderson and
Cavanagh, Read the key findings and tables only
(Optional ) On-line UNDHP 2001, pp. 9-16
(Optional) On-line UNHDP 1997, pp. 15-18
Sept. 8: On-line: Hawken et al., pp. 1-11,
22-29, 48-61 http://www.natcap.org/sitepages/pid20.php
Week 3: Natural
Capitalism and Ecological Economics
Sept. 11: On-line:
Cobb et al.
On-line: Boyce, pp. 1-11
Sept. 13: On-line: Hawken
et al., pp. 62-73, 82-94, 156-169 http://www.natcap.org/sitepages/pid20.php
Sept. 15: On-line: Hawken
et al., pp. 170-178, 288-308 http://www.natcap.org/sitepages/pid20.php
Week 4: Democracy and
the Media
Sept. 18: Exam 1 Due
Sept. 20 On-line: Pateman, pp. 1-5, 22-27,
42-43
On-line:
Croteau & Hoynes, pp. 7-26
Sept. 22: On-line: Croteau & Hoynes, pp. 26-37
On-line: Hoynes, pp.
34-54
Week 5: Democracy and
the Media
Sept. 25: On-line: Mermin, pp. 3-16
Sept. 27: On-line: Mermin,
pp. 42-45, 66-99
Sept. 29: On-line Sunstein, pp. 17-25
On-line:
Neubeck, pp. 334-337
Week 6: Economic and Political Sociology
Oct. 2: On-line: Domhoff
(Who Rules
On-line: Domhoff (Power
Elite, pp. 20-24, 37-40, 257-264)
Oct. 4: On-line:
Domhoff (Power Elite, pp. 107-125, 144-147)
Oct. 6: No
Week7: Globalization,
the World Bank, and the IMF
Oct. 9: Exam
2 Due
Oct. 11: On-line:
On-line: Handout on the
World Bank, the IMF, NAFTA, and the WTO
Oct. 13: On-line:
Week 8: Globalization,
the IMF, and the WTO
Oct. 16: On-line:
Stiglitz, pp. ix-xvi, 3-22
Oct. 18: On-line:
Stiglitz, pp. 53-67, 73-75
Oct. 20: On-line: What
is the WTO? (Read, but do not print)
On-line: Wallach, pp. 239-253
Week 9: The WTO, NAFTA,
and Property Rights
Oct. 23: On-line:
Wallach, pp. 19-30, 36-50
Oct. 25: On-line:
Greider 1
On-line: Greider 2
Oct. 27: On-line:
Barlow
On-line: Finnegan
On-line: Shiva &
Holla-Bhar
Week 10: Agriculture
1
Oct. 30: Exam 3 Due
Nov. 1: Hawken et al., pp. 190-212, 234-245 http://www.natcap.org/sitepages/pid20.php
Nov. 3: Reading
Summary Due
The class will be divided up into five reading
groups. Each group will read one of the readings and give a 5 minute report to
the class on it.
On-line: Silverstein
On-line: Schlosser, pp. 42-57
On-line: Schlosser, chapter
5
On-line: Schlosser, chapter
6
On-line: Schlosser, chapter
9
Week 11: Agriculture
2
Nov. 6: On-line: Heffernan, pp. 61-76
On-line:
Heffernan et al., pp. 1-7 plus fact sheets and tables
Nov. 8: On-line:
Vorley, pp. 10-19
On-line:
Cook, pp. 12-16 & 20-22
On-line: Hendrickson et al., Executive
summary and pp. 1-6
Nov. 10: On-line:
Wallach, pp. 189-214
Week 12:
Biotechnology
Nov. 13: Exam 4 Due
Nov. 15: On-line:
Kimbrell, pp. 131-145
On-line: Nabhan, pp. 172-187
(Optional) On-line: Commoner
Nov. 17: On-line:
Smith, pp. 127-158
Week 13: Nov. 20-Nov.
24. No Class: Thanksgiving
Week 14: War and Oil
Nov. 27: On-line:
Smith, pp. 127-158 (If you already read it, please skim it again)
Nov. 29: On-line:
On-line: Johnson, pp. 34-36
& 43-52
On-line: Bivens
Dec. 1: On-line:
Week 15: Oil, Natural Resources, and War 1
Dec. 4: Klare, Preface and
chapter 1
Dec. 6: Klare, Chapters 2
& 3
Dec. 8: Klare, Chapter 4
& pp. 180-187
Week 16: Oil, Natural Resources, and War 2
Dec. 11: On-line:
Resource Wars, pp. 190-226
Dec. 13: No
Dec. 15: Exam 5 Due
University Policies
ACCOMODATION:
Disability, Religious &
Activity Accommodations:
1. If you qualify for an
accommodation due to a disability, please submit to the instructor a letter
from Disability Services that details the appropriate accommodations by the end
of the second week of class. Disability Services determines accommodations
based upon documented disabilities. For more information call 303-492-8671,
visit Willard 322 or go to their website http://www.colorado.edu/disabilityservices.
2. Campus policy regarding
religious observances requires that faculty make every effort to reasonably and
fairly deal with all students who, because of religious obligations, have
conflicts with scheduled exams, assignments or required attendance. If the
observance of a religious holiday or activity conflicts with the course
requirements, please make the dates of the conflict(s) known to the instructor
in writing by the end of the second week of class. http://www.colorado.edu/policies/fac_relig.html
3. If participation in a
university-supported activity (athletic competitions, artistic performances,
etc.) conflicts with the course requirements, please make the dates and nature
of the conflicts known to the instructor in writing by the end of the second
week of class. Students will be asked to
provide evidence of participation for any exceptions.
HONOR CODE:
All students of the
LEARNING ENVIRONMENT:
Students and faculty each
have responsibility for maintaining an appropriate learning environment.
Students who fail to adhere to behavioral standards may be subject to
discipline. See polices at
http://www.colorado.edu/policies/classbehavior.html and at
http://www.colorado.edu/studentaffairs/judicialaffairs/code.html#student
SEXUAL HARRASSMENT:
The
Professor Downey’s Expectations
1. Come to class every day.
2. Come to class on time every day.
3. If you do arrive late, come in quietly and find a seat near the door.
4. Don’t leave the room in the middle of class to go to the bathroom or for any other reason.
5. If you absolutely have to leave class early (for a doctor’s appointment for example):
a. Tell me before class
b. Sit near the door
6. No talking, reading, playing on a computer, surfing the web, or sleeping in class.
7. Stop talking and reading as soon as class begins.
8. Class begins on time.
9. Do not start to pack your things before class ends.
10. Take complete and thorough lecture notes.
11. If you miss class, get lecture notes from another student (then talk to me if you do not understand the notes).
12. Treat everyone in the room with respect.
13. Participate in class discussions.
14. DO
ALL THE ASSIGNED
15. STUDY SEVERAL HOURS FOR EACH EXAM.