BHP 259 Honors Seminar:
The Environment: A Conflict of Interest
Course Overview
The Environment: A Conflict of Interest examines environmental problems from
scientific, ethical, economic, social and political perspectives. The aim of the course is to
advance students’ knowledge of a variety of viewpoints for coping with the challenges
and complexities of environmental problems such as climate change, energy challenges,
adverse health effects, pollution, lack of resources, sustainability and biodiversity loss.
The format of the course provides students with three major dimensions of environmental
problems. The first section provides students with an overview of causes of
environmental problems and the challenges for mediating them. The second, analyzes
specific case studies of differing types of environmental problems in both the U.S. and
globally. The final part of the course evaluates how governments, societies, and markets
have attempted to deal with global environmental problems.
Course Goals:
The course is designed around three major learning goals:
(1) The development of an understanding of how different cultures, societies and
governments define and respond to environmental problems.
a. Students will be encouraged to conceptualize and consider the manner in
which environmental problems are defined from scientific, ethical, economic,
cultural, social and political, perspectives.
(2) The interpretation of the impact of institutions, societies, and economic interests
when dealing with environmental problems.
a. Students will evaluate how societies, cultures, markets, and governments have
dealt with environmental problems.
(3) The analysis and evaluation of a variety of approaches in dealing with environmental
problems in the global and local contexts:
a. Students will develop a set of tools to analyze the theoretical and applied
fundamentals of environmental problems.
1
BHP 259 Honors Seminar:
The Environment: A Conflict of Interest
Course Assessments
Attendance/participation/questions
Weekly reading summaries (two pages)
Paper Presentation
Research Paper
20%
30%
10%
40%
To pass the course you must complete ALL course requirements (i.e., if you fail to
complete and turn in any one assignment by the last day of the semester, you will fail the
course). Note all assignments will be submitted electronically no later than 5PM of
an assignment’s given due date.
Only in extreme circumstances will extensions for written assignments be granted. If you
would like to request an extension, you need to do so at least 24 hours prior to the due
date. If you fail to complete and turn in any written assignment by 3:00pm on the date
that it is due, you will lose 5 points for each day that it is late (including weekend days).
All assignments must be completed specifically for this course and academic integrity
guidelines will be strictly enforced (i.e. plagiarism and other breaches of academic
integrity will result in a failing grade for the course). Remember that you must use
citations and failure to do so is a breach of academic integrity. If you have questions
about how to cite sources, feel free to contact either of us so we can discuss this.
Should you require any testing or classroom accommodations due to learning disabilities
or other circumstances, we will be happy to make those accommodations. We will need
to see proper documentation within the first two weeks of the semester. For more
information please refer to the Disability Statement.
Weekly reflection reading summaries 30%
Each week students are required to submit a two-page summary and brief reflection
and/or critique of the assigned weekly readings. The summaries are to be submitted via
Blackboard by 3PM on Thursdays. Students will be required to have their summaries
available during each class period, which will be incorporated into our class discussion of
the material. We will begin each class discussing student questions that have been
submitted for each week.
Research paper 40%
Each student will complete a substantive research paper by building on the material
presented in this course. Papers must include:
1. Introduction (1-2 pages): This includes your research question, substantive
focus and brief description of your paper’s layout in the subsequent sections.
2. Literature Review (pages 5-7): A literature review is the review of a
collection of published research relevant to a research question. All good
2
BHP 259 Honors Seminar:
The Environment: A Conflict of Interest
research and writing is guided by a review of the relevant literature. It is an
essential test of the research question against that which is already known
about the subject. The literature review reveals whether or not a research
question has already been answered by someone else. If it has, often the
question needs to be changed or modified, so that an original contribution to
the research is made. Overall, your literature review should cover the broad
literature which is relevant to your topic. You must use more than once source
of information for your literature review.
i. There must be at least 8 distinct sources (should have more):
ii. Minimum of 4 scholarly/statistical sources (can use more) – a
WWW site must be approved by either of us as
scholarly/statistical beforehand
iii. Maximum of 6 non-scholarly (news & reportage) sources –
WWW sites included
iv. The literature review should cover back to the year 2000 at a
minimum (Note: this can be fulfilled by finding a substantial
scholarly literature review OR a significant portion of a
scholarly article/s reviewing the literature taken together)
3. Analysis (pages 4-6): The analysis will depend upon your topic. This part of
the paper can include some of the following elements:
i. Quantitative or qualitative analysis used to test your research
question. This can also be a case study of a particular element
you plan to research. What do you plan to answer in your
research question?
ii. A critique of the current literature. What are the pros and cons
associated with what has already been applied within the
literature?
4. Synthesis (pages 3-4): The synthesis will put your analysis within the context
of the literature. How does your research contribute to a richer understanding
of the literature, as well as our understanding of the specific environmental
issue you have addressed in general?
5. Discussion, Interpretation or Recommendations of your research (pages
3-4): This part will situate your research into the broader literature. Think
critically about what you have researched, analyzed, and what you know
about the problem you have addressed. Tell us what’s the big picture? How
will this impact the issue? What do you see as future ramifications of your
research on the environment?
Paper presentation 10%
Each student is required to present major themes and findings from their research paper.
The presentation should begin with a description and overview of the paper and research
problem you have addressed; a brief discussion the literature you have used to address
3
BHP 259 Honors Seminar:
The Environment: A Conflict of Interest
your research problem; a pithy summary of your paper’s analysis; and a concise
explanation of the major findings from your research.
Class participation 20%
You are required to attend class. If you are unable to come to class because you are ill, or
out of town, e-mail or call either Dr. Mosto or Dr. Brogan ahead of time and let at least
one of us know. It is important that you come to class prepared, have completed all
assigned reading prior to class, and are ready to be engaged with the material—this
includes asking questions related to it. Students that fail to do any aspect of the
mentioned criteria will receive a lower grade. Also, there will be pop-quizzes offered
throughout the semester.
University Code and Honor System
Honor System
This course adheres to the provisions laid out in the Source regarding academic rights and
guidelines for students. I also recommend reviewing the Statement of Regulations section
1 regarding “Out-of-Class Assignments” which lays out the definitions of plagiarism. If
you have any questions regarding this matter, please do not hesitate to bring them to my
attention.
Note that I will not accept late assignments. I will not accept excuses for missing pop
quizzes. I do not offer make-up exams. Plagiarism will not be tolerated. If a student is
found to have plagiarized or cheated on aspect of the course, they will fail the course.
Turn-it-in.com
This course will use Turn-it-in.com. If you are not familiar with this service, it is software
used to detect plagiarism by comparing submitted papers to billions of pages of content
located on the Internet, as well as their proprietary databases.
Civility in Class
From time-to-time we will engage in discussions about public issues. Students are
expected to exhibit civil behavior in these discussions and to allow for those with
differing opinions to express themselves. Additionally, civility will require turning off
cell phones, and refraining from reading newspapers or chatting during class. Also, the
use of laptop computers is restricted to class purposes only.
Disability Statement
Any student eligible for and needing academic adjustments or accommodations because
of a disability, is requested to contact the Office of Learning Disabilities / Attention
Deficit Disorders / Cognitive Impairments (x 7365). Once this has been completed, the
4
BHP 259 Honors Seminar:
The Environment: A Conflict of Interest
student must contact the instructor no later than the first two weeks of class. It is the
responsibility of the student to make arrangements for reasonable accommodations.
Course Readings
Assigned readings per week are listed below and can be accessed on Bb. It is your
responsibility to have completed the readings prior to class.
Course Outline
I. Overview and Introduction
Week 1: Introduction
Garrett, Hardin “The Tragedy of the Commons”
John Drzyek , “Making Sense of the Earth's Politics” in The Politics of the Earth:
Environmental Discourses. Chapter 1
Pat Mosto and David Clowney. 2009. “Chapter 1: Introduction” in Earthcare: An
Anthology in Environmental Ethics (reduced form from Pat’s earlier talk,
philosophy)
Week 2: Collective Action and Common Pooled Resources
Ostrom, Elinor. 1992. “An Institutional Approach to the Study of SelfOrganization and Self-Governance in CPR Situations” Governing the Commons.
New York: Cambridge Press. pp. 29-55.
Layzer, Judith. 2010. “Crisis in the New England Fisheries” in The Enviromental
Case: Translating Values into Policy. Washington DC: CQ Press.
Ramachandra Guga and Juan Martinez-Alier. 1997. The Environmentalism of the
Poor. In Varieties of Environmentalism. Earthscan Publications, London, pp.3-16
Week 3: Globalism and the Environment
Jennifer Clapp and Peter Dauvergne 2005. “The Ecological Consequences of
Globalization” in Paths to a Green World. MIT Press. pp 19-43.
Thomas, Princen, Michael F. Maniates, and Ken Conca,. 2002.
“Individualization: Plant a Tree, Buy a Bike, Save the World?” in Confronting
Consumption, Cambridge MA: MIT Press. Chapter 3.
Herman Daly 2005. Economics in a Full World. Scientific American
5
BHP 259 Honors Seminar:
The Environment: A Conflict of Interest
Paper proposal is due.
Week 4: Localism and the Environment
Layzer, Judith. 2010. “Community Activism and Environmental Justice: The
Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative” in The Enviromental Case: Translating
Values into Policy. Washington DC: CQ Press.
Gould, Kenneth A., Schnaiberg, Allan and Weinberg A. 1996. Local
Environmental Struggles: Citizen Activism in the Treadmill of Production.
Cambridge UP. Chapter 2.
Errol Schweizer. 2008. Environmental Justice: An Interview with Robert Bullard.
Earth First! Journal
II. Environmental Problems
Week 5: The Challenges of Carrying Capacities
Thomas Malthus. 1798 An Essay on Population. Chapter 1. (condense and
synthesize into a short-handout for reading, cliff-notes this article and discuss the
overall concepts in class)
Paul Erhlich and Anne Erlich. 1997. Fables about Population and Food.
Technology Review 100: 38-47
Bjorn Lomborg. 2002 “Human Welfare” In The Skeptical Environmentalist. pp
45-87.
Discussion Case: “The Example of Eastern Island” by Pat Mosto in Earthcare: An
Anthology in Environmental Ethics. 2009
Interview with Erv Peterson by Pat Mosto in Earthcare: An Anthology in
Environmental Ethics. 2009
Film “Human Footprint” on 2/21/12
Week 6: Water quality and scarcity
Lindemann, Stefan. 2008 “Understanding Water Regime Formation—A Research
Framework with Lessons from Europe” Global Environmental Politics, pp 117-140
Peter Warshall. 2001. Watershed Governance. In Writing on Water by Rothenberg
and Ulvaeus. MIT Press, London
6
BHP 259 Honors Seminar:
The Environment: A Conflict of Interest
Discussions cases: Water Wars; Our Mother Ganges is Sick!; Bottle Water: Pure
Profit? by Pat Mosto in Earthcare: An Anthology in Environmental Ethics. 2009
Interview with Kauser Jahan by Pat Mosto in Earthcare: An Anthology in
Environmental Ethics. 2009
Film “Flow” to be accessed via Bb
Paper outline and annotated bibliography due on 2/23/12
Week 7: Climate Change
Hulme, Mike 2009. “The Social Meanings of Climate” in Why We Disagree About
Climate Change: Understanding Controversy, Inaction, and Opportunity. New
York: Cambridge University Press. Chapter 1.
Stephen Gardiner. 2011. Climate Change, Interegerational Ethics and the problem
of Corruption. In A Perfect Moral Storm, The Ethical Tragedy of Climate Change.
Interview with Roberto Mechoso by Pat Mosto in Earthcare: An Anthology in
Environmental Ethics. 2009
Film “Wasteland” 3/20/12 as part of Green Film Series
Week 8: Pollution
Desay, Uday. 1998. “Economic Growth with Pollution: Taiwan's Environmental
Experience” in Ecological Policy and Politics in Developing Countries. Albany,
NY: SUNY Press. pp 121-152.
Lazer, Chapter 2 Love Canal
Andrew Kernohan. 1995. Rights against Polluters. Environmental Ethics 17
(3):245-257.
Discussion Case: Smog in New Dehli and Los Angeles by Pat Mosto in Earthcare:
An Anthology in Environmental Ethics. 2009
Paper literature review is due.
Week 9: Biodiversity loss
Lilly-Marlene Russow. 1997. Why do Species Matter? In Environmental Ethics,
Volume 4
7
BHP 259 Honors Seminar:
The Environment: A Conflict of Interest
Deane Curtin. 2007. Making Peace with the Earth. Applied Ethics, pp. 248-261
Interview with Philip Nyhus by Pat Mosto in Earthcare: An Anthology in
Environmental Ethics. 200
Discussion Case: Feral Dogs, Turtle Eggs, and Healthy Diets by Pat Mosto in
Earthcare: An Anthology in Environmental Ethics. 2009
Week 10: Energy and Sustainability
Robert Socolow and Stephen Pacala. 2006. A Plan to Keep Carbon Check in
Place. Scientific American.
Mark Sagoff. 1989. Consumption. Environmental Ethics
Case Study: “Costa Rica: Brand Green” and interview with Nuria Fernandez, by
Pat Mosto and David Clowney in Earthcare: An Anthology in Environmental
Ethics. 2009
Discussion Cases: The people’s car; Food vs. Fuel by Pat Mosto and David
Clowney in Earthcare: An Anthology in Environmental Ethics. 2009
III. Responding to the Challenges
Week 11: Governmental Response to Environmental Problems
Kraft, Michael E.. 2010 “Making Environmental Policy” in Environmental Policy
and Politics: 5th Edition.
Layzer, Judith. 2010. “The Nation Tackles Pollution: The Environmental Protection
Agency and the Clean Air and Water Acts” in The Enviromental Case: Translating
Values into Policy. Washington DC: CQ Press.
Stephen M. Meyer, and David. M. Konisky. 2007. “Adopting Local Environmental
Institutions: Environmental Need and Economic Constraints” Political Research
Quarterly. Vol. 60, 1. pp. 3-16.
Final paper is due.
Week 12: Market Response to Environmental Problems
Reinhardt, Forest. “Market Failure and the Environmental Policies of Firms
Economic Rationales for “Beyond Compliance” Behavior” Journal of Industrial
Ecology, Vol. 3. No.1 pp 9-21.
8
BHP 259 Honors Seminar:
The Environment: A Conflict of Interest
Feiock, Richard C. and Stream, Christopher. “Environmental Protection versus
Economic Development: A False Trade-Off?” in Public Administration Review,
Vol. 61, No. 3 (May - Jun., 2001), pp. 313-321.
Konar, Shameek and Cohen, Mark A. “Does the Market Value Environmental
Performance?” in The Review of Economics and Statistics, Vol. 83, No. 2 (May,
2001), pp. 281-289.
Paper presentations
Week 13: Ethical Responses to Environmental Problems
Lynn White. 1967. The Historical Roots of Our Ecological Crisis. Science. pp.
1203-1207
Paul Taylor. 1986. The Ethics of Respect for Nature. In Respect for Nature.
Princeton University press.
Richard Sylvan. 2008. Is there a Need for a new Environmental Ethics.
Environmental Ethics.
Interview with Eugene Hargrove by David Clowney in Earthcare: An Anthology
in Environmental Ethics. 2009
Film “God’s Earth”
Paper presentations
9