REM 356 – Fall 2013
Institutional Arrangements for Sustainable Environmental Management
COURSE OUTLINE
INSTRUCTOR: Sean Broadbent, sbroadbe@sfu.ca
OFFICE HOURS: Mondays 1:00-2:00pm in Rm. 8401 TASC I.
TEACHING ASSISTANT: Soudeh Jamshidian, sja26@sfu.ca
TA OFFICE HOURS: Wednesdays 2:30-3:30pm, in Rm. 7802 TASC 2.
COURSE MATERIAL: Required readings available on-line, through library, or will be emailed to
students via the course email list. Students are not required to purchase a textbook.
Resource and environmental management is our attempt to address issues of the environment, the
economy, and society. However, there is a range of perspectives on what management should entail
and have as goals. In Canada, resource management has traditionally been the responsibility of the
federal and provincial governments. Their actions and competency are increasingly influenced and
challenged by community-based initiatives, by globalization, and by the demands of markets.
Institutions such as regulatory agencies, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), law, the market, and
science all play an important role in creating and mediating debates about how resources and the
environment should be managed.
In the first section of this course we will review and evaluate the structures of existing resource
management institutions in Canada from two perspectives: the neoclassical economic/market
paradigm, and the political economy paradigm. These perspectives are central to understanding the
dynamics and conflicts of resource management. Based on these frameworks, in the second section we
will explore specific examples of resource management in fisheries, forestry, First Nations land-claims,
protected areas management, environmental impact assessment, and climate change. These examples
will provide insight into the nature of institutional arrangements for resource and environmental
management, as well as the challenges they face. By the end of the course students will have gained an
understanding of the key institutions of resource and environmental management and how they relate
to current resource and environmental management issues.
COURSE SCHEDULE:
Lectures:
Mondays, 2:30-4:20, AQ 4130
Tutorials:
Tut D101 Tue 2:30 – 3:20 AQ 4115
Tut D103 Wed 12:30 – 1:20 AQ 5009
Tut D104 Wed 1:30 – 2:20 AQ 5028
ASSIGNMENTS AND EVALUATION:
Tutorials (30% of final grade): Students are required to attend a one-hour tutorial each week. In the
tutorial you will discuss the readings and lectures, and prepare for the term paper. As well, students
will complete 2 assignments (worth 10% each) for the tutorials. Students will receive a mark (10%) for
their contribution to tutorials throughout the semester. This mark will be based on attendance and
participation in discussions and activities. In order to receive full marks for attendance and
participation students must not only attend tutorials but also actively participate in discussions during
tutorials. As such, all students are expected to read the readings assigned to lectures as well as any
readings that might be assigned to the tutorial.
Quiz (10% of final grade): A quiz will be administered in class to prepare students for the midterm
exam. Course readings and lecture materials for the quiz will be discussed at least one week in advance
of the quiz date.
Midterm (20% of final grade): The midterm exam will be conducted in class and will cover material
from readings and lectures up to the date of the exam.
Term paper (40% of final grade): Each student will submit (in hard copy) a 2,000-2,500 word paper,
with references, on a topic related to the subject matter of the course. Each student will also submit
their final paper for checking for plagiarism at Turnitin – you will receive the login instructions during
the semester. Grading will be based on your analysis/argument, style/organization, and use of course
themes.
DUE DATES:
Assignment 1: September 24/25, October 1/2, October 8/9 (in tutorial)
Quiz 1: October 21 (in class)
Midterm exam: November 4 (in class)
Assignment 2: November 18 (in class, at the beginning of the lecture)
Term paper: December 9 by 4pm at the REM general office (TASC I #8405). Any papers left after
4pm will be stamped December 10.
Late Penalties: 5% per day for tutorial assignments, 10% per day for the term paper (no papers will
be accepted past noon on December 14th)