ENV423E

The conserver society

Dr Peter Cock

6 points 2 hours per week Second semester Clayton

Objectives On completion of this subject candidates will be able to:conceptualise conserver futures; explore possibilities for a conserver society; sample and assess practical demonstrations and understand barriers to their generalisation.

Synopsis From the 1970s various studies of the materially over-developed world have been performed to propose structures designed to regenerate the wellbeing of the human community within the biosphere's limit. This unit, based on a social ecology perspective, is conerned to examine the relations of humans with the biosphere that contribute to sustaining biodiversity. Whereas environmental psychology addressed a person's quality of nature connections, this unit is concerned with the challeng of re-establishing a humane society that lives within nature's bounds.
Weekly two-hour sessions include lectures and seminar presentations, as well as a weekend field trip. Candidates make class presentations of their research into one particular aspect of what might form part of a conserver society. This reviewed aspect then forms part of the units developing conserver society characterisation. The field trip is used to simulate conserver actions as a class and to review one conserver society initiative.

Assessment Seminar paper (1000 words): 15% Essay (3000 words): 40%Journal: 15% Presentation and class participation: 15%Field trip review: 15%

Preliminary reading

Flannery T Walden vol. 2, AMS Press, 1995
Livingston J The Fallacy of Wildlife Conservation McLelland and Stewart, 1981

Recommended texts

Thoreau H Walden vol 2, AMS Press, 1954
Cock P (eds) Social structures for sustainability Fundamental Quations Paper no. 11, vol. 3, ANU, 1991

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