‘Stockholm to Copenhagen via Rio’ – Environment & Development in a Globalizing

World

E400/ V450 (28058)

School of Public & Environmental Affairs
Indiana University, Bloomington

Instructor: Prakash Kashwan

Teaching Assistant: TBD
Class Meet at BU 201 (MW 06:00P-08:30P)

‘Sustainable Development’ is by far the most common way of describing our individual and
collective endeavors to address the most pressing environmental challenges. In other
words, notions of sustainable development underline our efforts for environmental
governance. How has this term come to capture the imagination of an entire generation? Is
the consensus over what needs to be done as great as seems to be implied by commonality
of agreement over the goals of pursuing sustainable development, broadly defined? This
course has two goals: 1- to introduce students to the emergence and the ‘coming of age’ of
global efforts at addressing issues at the intersection of environment and development; 2-
to critically reflect upon the nature and outcomes of these efforts and future options.

To achieve these objectives, we will trace the progression of policy and programs beginning
with the deliberations at the Stockholm Conference of 1972 up to the Copenhagen Summit
anticipating international efforts pertaining to global climate change beyond 2012. At the
same time, we will also use empirical material to examine some major changes in the
interface of development and the environment, each one broadly understood. The
discussions in class and written assignments will be aimed at developing student
familiarity with different perspectives on each of the major themes explored in the course.
The course is designed to provide an essential introduction to the field of sustainable
development. The aim is to help you become an environmentally informed and sensitive
professional in your own field of specialization, but more importantly, a citizen capable of
reflecting and acting upon the challenges we face as a global society.

Assessment

The principal means of assessment in this course will be through written assignments. The
written submissions are expected to be a synthesis of your learning and reflection based on
the discussions in and out of the classroom. For each of the writing assignments you are
encouraged to work with the instructor in defining your thesis, and with the teaching
assistant in developing and writing your thesis.

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Class Participation

Staying true to the approach of deliberation that the problems related to sustainable
development require, we as a class will deliberate over the themes that we seek to analyze.
Therefore, discussion is the principle manner in which we will advance our understanding
of the policies and politics of sustainability. You must be able and willing to answer
questions and, more importantly, ask them. The quality of questions posed to the
instructor, your classmates, and visiting scholars will demonstrate your familiarity with the
topic and your desire to better acquaint yourself with it. Assessment of student progress
with the material will be achieved through periodic, on-the-spot questioning of students.
Additionally, moderated debates between groups will help students to refine their ability to
evaluate and make political arguments.

Electronic Journal

Each student will keep an electronic journal or a blog hosted on www.blogger.com. A

separate blogger account must be created specifically for this course, though you are free to
personalize your blog in a way that promotes academic engagement and easy reading
(without embedded images and videos hitting at the reader even before one gets into the
content of the writing). I will post a number of prompts related to each of the modules.
After completing an entry, enter a link to it in the “Wiki” section of Oncourse. You are
encouraged to employ multi-media tools that help make your point to the reader.

Proposal Outlining a “Solution”

In this day and age, discussion on the environment and sustainability may often become
pessimistic. As part of this written assignment, you will work on proposing a “solution” to a
particular problem that you would like to engage with. Solution need not necessarily be of a
biophysical nature. You may like to work on proposing an institutional arrangement that
may help stakeholders work together to deliberate over a particularly knotty problem. Or,
you may prefer to work on a policy proposal that may set correct the political and the
economic incentives.

Individual Papers

In academia as well as in professional fields, you will be expected to produce reports and
papers aimed at communicating a thesis or a set of arguments. Formulating a thesis, or a
set of arguments connected coherently to a specific theme, is the first crucial step in

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composing a professional report or an academic paper. So that you are prepared for future
classes and have a greater familiarity with a substantive area of sustainability, each student
in the course will write two papers. The first of these will be an eight-to-ten page paper and
will act as a substitute for the mid-term exam that students take in other courses. The
second will be fifteen-to-twenty pages in length and will substitute for the final exam. You
are required to submit ideas for each of these papers on the dates indicated in the course
schedule. A list of suggested paper topics will be provided, though students are welcome to
come up with their own.

Paper Style and Format

All papers submitted for a grade must follow these style guidelines:

Font: Times New Roman (or similar serif font to be approved by the
instructor)
Font Size: 12 pt.
Spacing: 0 pt. before and after
Line Spacing: double
Indentation: 0.5” at start of new paragraph
Margins: 1” all round
Page Numbers: bottom right corner of each page

Also remember to number your pages, and make certain that your page numbers are of the
same size and in the same font as your text.

COURSE SCHEDULE
The course is divided into eight modules, each including the readings and discussions that
we will cover during two class meetings each week.

Module 1: The Making and Unmaking of a Tragedy

Do people and societies, including the global society, care about the environment,
individually, and/or collectively? Drawing on classical articles on the theme, the module
discusses the fundamental issues in ‘sustainable development’, and the challenges entailed
in conceptualizing and executing sustainable development interventions. In the first class
meeting we will discuss the dynamics of human nature interplay before moving on to
initiation of international efforts on sustainable development, way back in 1972.
I
Slovic, P. (1987). "Perception of Risk." Science 236(4799): 280-285.

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Dunlap, R. E. (1991). "Trends in public opinion toward environmental issues: 1965–1990."
Society & Natural Resources: An International Journal 4(3): 285 - 312.
Hardin, Garrett. 1968. The tragedy of the commons. Science 162 (3859):1243-1248.
A ‘Nobel’ Response to ‘the Tragedy’: Elinor Ostrom’s Work on Common Pool Resources -
Selected Readings
II
Gandhi, Indira (1972): Speech of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi at the Stockholm
Conference. UNEP
UNEP (1972) - Declaration of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment.
Brundtland, GH, World Commission on Environment, and Development. 1987. Our
Common Future: Oxford University Press Oxford. Selected sections

Module 2: The Rio Safari and Biodiversity Conservation

This module surveys the second generation of international deliberations over the idea of
sustainable development. The Rio Summit saw the emergence of a role for carefully
designed market interventions in the broader efforts of fostering sustainable development,
with significant attention to conservation of floral and faunal biodiversity. In the second
class meeting, we will take the first major step to critically reflect on the ideas and
approaches to sustainable development.

I
UNEP (1992)- The Earth Summit and Agenda 21
Haas, PM. 1992. Appraising the Earth Summit: How Should We Judge UNCED? Environment.
34 (8): 6-11, 26-33
Cadotte, Marc. 2004. Ecological niches: Linking classical and contemporary approaches.
Biodiversity and Conservation 13 (9):1791-1793.
II
Najam, A. (2005). "Developing countries and global environmental governance: From
contestation to participation to engagement." International Environmental Agreements:
Politics, Law and Economics 5(3): 303-321.
James, Alexander, Kevin J. Gaston, and Andrew Balmford. 2001. Can we afford to conserve
biodiversity? BioScience 51 (1):43-52.
Lele, Sharachchandra M. 1991. Sustainable development: A critical review. World
Development 19 (6):607-621.

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Module 3: Approaches to Forest and Wildlife Conservation

In this module we survey some of the major policies and programs aimed at forest and
wildlife conservation. How effective have we been, and what are the pros and cons of each
of the different approaches to conservation? By the way, what is the scope of promoting
forest conservation in urban neighborhoods? We will apprise ourselves of the potential
that Bloomington offers for some collective endeavor to aid conservation. In the second
part, we will again get into some critical readings on the themes of conservation and
conservation induced conflicts in developing countries.

I
Kothari, Ashish (2003): Community Conserved Areas: WPC Recommendation 26. World
Parks Congress. Durban
Adhikari, Bhim (2004): Community Forestry in Nepal Management Rules and Distribution
of Benefits. Policy Brief. SANDEE.
Keil, R. and G. Desfor (1996). "Making local environmental policy in Los Angeles." Cities
13(5): 303-313.
Fischer, B.C. and B.C. Steed. 2008. Street Trees: A Misunderstood Common Pool Resource.
Proceedings of the 84th International Society of Arboriculture Annual Conference, St. Louis,
MO.
The U.S. Forest Service’s Web Resources on Urban and Community Forestry
<http://www.fs.fed.us/ucf/treesforpeople.html> (Skim Through)
II
Peluso, N. L. (1992). Rich forests, poor people: Resource Control and Resistance in Java.
Berkeley, University of California Press. (Selected Sections).
Rodrigues, Ana S. L. et al. 2004. Effectiveness of the global protected area network in
representing species diversity. Nature 428 (6983):640-643.
Dowie, M. (2006). "Conservation Refugees: When Protecting Nature Means Kicking People
Out." Seedling: 6-12.
Gordon et al. (2006) Regional Overview: Forest Certification in the Sub-Saharan Africa. Yale
School of Forestry & Environmental Studies

Module 4: Cow Dung from India, Mexican Coffee, and American Customers: The
Development-Conservation Dynamics

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How do the production processes related to food items, such as coffee, affect the health of
our environment? What may be the implications of an increasingly globalized consumer
market for our conservation efforts? After exploring these questions, in the second part we
will familiarize ourselves with some themes in the politics of international efforts aimed at
economic development and its environmental consequences.
I
Sethi (Undated): Why Bandipur’s farmers switched to selling dung. Down to Earth, Center
for Science & Environment, New Delhi.
Taylor, P. L. (2005). "In the Market But Not of It: Fair Trade Coffee and Forest Stewardship
Council Certification as Market-Based Social Change." World Development 33(1): 129-147.
Communities, CP. 2007. Field study internship handbook: A guide to internships in coffee-
producing communities with the community agroecology network: Community Agroecology
Network & Oxfam America.
II
Auer, M. (2007). "More aid, better institutions, or both?" Sustainability Science 2(2): 179-
187.
Rosenthal, Elisabeth (2009). New Jungles Prompt a Debate on Rain Forests. New York
Times
Oxfam International (2002): Mugged: Poverty in Your Coffee Cup.
Rubber Jungle – A Documentary on Brazilian Rubber Tappers and Chico Mendes often
called the Gandhi of the Amazon

Module 5 : Environmental Scarcity in an Increasingly Insecure World

One often hears about the possibilities of a ‘fourth world war’ triggered by scarcity of
environmental resources, such as water. Indeed, numerous ongoing conflicts around the
world are often related to environmental scarcities. In what ways might the environmental
scarcities contribute to conflicts in our times? How might the issue of environmental
scarcity be confounded by other, more mundane, issues such as everyday access of rural
and forest people around the world to natural resources? We will attempt to seek answers
to the latter question in the second part of the module, which will also help connect the
debate to a security perspective on climate change induced security threats.

I
Howard & Homer-Dixon (1996): Environmental Scarcity and Violent Conflict: The Case of
Chiapas, Mexico. Washington, D.C. American Association for the Advancement of Science
and the University of Toronto

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Case: Environmental Scarcity and the Rawandan Crisis (To be posted on OnCourse)
Postel, S. L. and T. W. Aaron (2001). "Dehydrating Conflict." Foreign Policy (126): 60-67.
II
Roy, A. (1999): The Greater Common Good. Outlook
Varghese, B.G. (1999): A Poetic License: Rejoinder. Outlook
Roy, A. (1999): The Greater Common Good II: Debate. Outlook
Guha, R. (2007). "Adivasis, Naxalites and Indian Democracy." Economic and Political
Weekly 42(32): 3305.
Hartmann, B. (2010). "Rethinking climate refugees and climate conflict: Rhetoric, reality
and the politics of policy discourse." Journal of International Development 22(2): 233-246.

Module 6: Debating Our Common Concerns: Climate Change and Adaptation

In this module we will appreciate different dimensions of the impact of climate change on
human society, and different sections within the global society. We will begin the
discussion by piggybacking on the multimedia documentation undertaken by a BBC World
crew that traveled on a boat across Bangladesh. After a careful appreciation of the linkages
between development (or, lack of it) and climate change, in the second class meeting of the
week we will consider policy options currently on the global negotiation tables.
I
BBC (2009): Bangladesh River Journey
<http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/bangladeshboat/>
Huq, S., H. Reid, et al. (2006). Climate change and development links. Gatekeeper Series,
International Institute for Environment and Development. 123.
Wilkinson, Katharine K. (2010): Climate’s salvation? Why and how American evangelicals
are engaging with climate change. Environment 52 (2).
Agrawal, A. and A. Angelsen (2009). Using Community Forest Management to Achieve
REDD+ Goals. Moving Ahead with REDD: Issues, Options, and Implications, Center for
International Forestry Research (CIFOR).
II
Stavins, R. N. (2000): "Economic Analysis of Global Climate Change Policy: A Primer." SSRN
eLibrary.
Shukman, David 2007. The parallel worlds of planet Bali (BBC World)
Sarewitz, D. and R. Pielke Jr (2000): "Breaking the Global-Warming GRIDLOCK." Atlantic
Monthly (10727825) 286(1): 54.

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Adger, W., S. Dessai, et al. (2009): "Are there social limits to adaptation to climate change?"
Climatic Change 93(3): 335-354.
Optional Reading
Parker et al. (2008): The Little REDD Book: A guide to governmental and non-
governmental proposals for Reduced Emissions from Degradation and Deforestation
(REDD+), Global Canopy Programme. (Selected text)

Module 7: Challenges to and Promise of Sustainability in the ‘First World’ Backyards

(or, front yard lawns)

As we move close to the conclusion of the course, we will turn our attention to
understanding the challenges of sustainability back home. Debates over environment and
development in the U.S. and other developed countries have had its own share of
controversies. A full appreciation of these contentious perspectives is a prerequisite for
moving forward. In the second part of this module, we examine ‘local’ initiatives in the first
world.
I
Nesbitt, J. T. and D. Weiner (2001): "Conflicting Environmental Imaginaries and the Politics
of Nature in Central Appalachia." Geoforum 32(3): 333-349.
McCarthy, J. (2002): "First World Political Ecology: Lessons from the Wise Use Movement."
Environment and Planning A 34(7): 1281-1302.
Robbins, Paul (2007): Lawn People: How Grasses, Weeds, and Chemicals Make Us Who We
Are. (Introductory Chapter)
Price, A. (2010): Sweden rushes ahead with controversial wolf cull
Gladwell, Malcom (2010): Small Change: Why the Revolution will not be Tweeted. The New
Yorker.
II
Egan, Timothy (2006): The Greening of America's Campuses. The New York Times
Uhl, Christopher, and Amy Anderson. 2001. Green Destiny: Universities Leading the Way to
a Sustainable Future. BioScience 51 (1):36-42.
Betsill, M. M. (2001): "Mitigating Climate Change in US Cities: Opportunities and Obstacles."
Local Environment: The International Journal of Justice and Sustainability 6(4): 393 - 406.

Module 8: The Past and the Future of Sustainable Development: Critical Reflections

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In this concluding module we will synthesize the debates over broad questions of policy,
practice, and knowledge of sustainable development. The first part is designed to flag some
of the key issues in sustainable development. In the second part we will reflect upon
(democratic) governance of sustainable development, and the role of knowledge, discourse,
and expertise in the proper conduct of societal affairs, in our quest for that elusive goal of
sustainability.
I
Guha, Ramachandra. (2006): How Much Should a Person Consume? : Environmentalism in
India and The United States. Berkeley, CA [etc.]: University of California Press.
Daly, Herman E. (1990): Toward some operational principles of sustainable development.
Ecological Economics 2 (1):1-6.
Brockington, Dan. (2009): Celebrity and the Environment: Fame, Wealth and Power in
Conservation, Zed Books, London. (Selected Sections).
II
Mosse, D. (2004). "Is Good Policy Unimplementable? Reflections on the Ethnography of Aid
Policy and Practice." Development and Change 35(4): 639-671.
Jamison, A. (2003). "The making of green knowledge: the contribution from activism."
Futures 35(7): 703-716.
Backstrand, K. (2003). "Civic Science for Sustainability: Reframing the Role of Experts,
Policy-Makers and Citizens in Environmental Governance." Global Environmental Politics
3(4): 24-41.
Jordan, A. (2008). "The governance of sustainable development: taking stock and looking
forwards." Environment and Planning C: Government and Policy 26(1): 17-33.

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