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Human Ecology

Code: 101271
Credits: 6
2026/2027
Degree programme Type Course
Social and Cultural Anthropology OP 4
Science, Technology and Humanities OP 4

Contact lecturer

Name :
Hugo Valenzuela Garcia
Email :
hugo.valenzuela@uab.cat

Teaching staff

Victoria Reyes Lopez
Sílvia Gomez Mestres

Teaching staff (external to UAB)

Jorge C. Llopis
Alvaro Fernandez-Llamazares Onrubia

Group languages

You can consult this information at the end of the document.

Prerequisites

No prerequisites are necessary, but notions of (having taken) "History of Anthropology", "Economic Anthropology" and "Culture, Nature and Development" are recommended. Recommended in the fourth year.

Objectives

"Human Ecology" is a choral, interdisciplinary course developed by the Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology in collaboration with the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology (ICTA). The aim of the course is to explore the relationship between humans and the environment from different theoretical and methodological perspectives, prioritising ethnobiology as the thematic axis. The course is made up of several modules, with internal cohesion, taught by specialists in their respective fields. This gives the course a particular vitality and dynamism in terms of theoretical, technical and methodological diversity, as well as the valuable possibility of addressing current issues from an inter- and transdisciplinary perspective.

We always try to introduce innovation, variability and novelty in the contents and modes of inter-relationships between human beings and the rest of nature. We hope that you will enjoy this course and that it will suggest new ways of thinking about the society-culture-nature articulation.

Learning outcomes

  1. Enumerating the theories about human species in their relation to society and culture production.
  2. Applying the knowledge of cultural variability and its genesis to avoid ethnocentric projections.
  3. Summarizing the acquired knowledge about the relationship between nature, culture and society.
  4. Analysing a contemporary fact from an anthropological perspective.
  5. Interpreting the cultural diversity through ethnography.
  6. Identifying the recent disciplinary developments and the correlation between the anthropological theory and the social disciplines related in their historical development and the current interdisciplinary tendencies.
  7. Identifying the contemporary interdisciplinary tendencies shared by the Anthropology and social disciplines related to the corresponding field.
  8. Knowing the evolutionary aspect of contemporary human diversity.
  9. Explaining the disciplinary developments and current interdisciplinary tendencies from the critique to the nature/culture Cartesian dichotomy.
  10. Recognising the cultural nature of nature and society conceptualizations.
  11. Identifying the various relationship processes between human populations and their environment.
  12. Knowing and understanding the culture's influence in the various institutional systems of environmental intervention.
  13. Producing materials related to the human population-environment relationships that may have a critical impact on the political and common sense conceptions in their respective fields.
  14. Analysing data critically from anthropological investigations and reports.
  15. Explaining the work's results narratively in accordance with the critical standards of discipline and bearing in mind the different target audiences.
  16. Learn cultural diversity through ethnography and critically assess ethnographic materials as knowledge of local contexts.
  17. Use the ethnographic corpus in cultural criticism.
  18. Critically analyse data from anthropological research and reports.
  19. Summarising acquired knowledge about the origin and transformations experienced in its several fields of study.
  20. Identifying the main and secondary ideas and expressing them with linguistic correctness.
  21. Present problems relating to the topics covered, especially those associated with major social issues, orally and in writing.
  22. Apply the basic concepts of social and cultural anthropology in order to understand the relationships between different societies and cultures.
  23. Take part in debates on historical and present-day events, respecting the opinions of the other participants.
  24. Critically assess the explicit and implicit theoretical models in ethnographic materials.
  25. Report on the dietary behaviour of population groups.
  26. Present the results of work in narrative form in accordance with the critical canons of the discipline and taking into account the different audiences addressed.
  27. Produce materials on the relationships between human population and environment that could have a critical impact on conceptions of politics and common sense in their respective fields.
  28. Enumerating theories about human species and relating them with the production of society and culture.
  29. Identifying the transcultural variability of economic, kinship, political, symbolic and cognitive, educational and gender systems as well as their corresponding anthropological theory.
  30. Distinguish between the theoretical concepts of anthropology and indigenous concepts.
  31. Establish the historical connection between ethnographic knowledge and theoretical development.
  32. Explain developments in the disciplines and the current interdisciplinary trends of criticism of the Cartesian nature-culture dichotomy.
  33. Know and evaluate the methodological debates in social and cultural anthropology.
  34. Know and understand the various processes of intercultural relations.
  35. Identify social and cultural variability through ethnographic texts and audiovisual sources.
  36. Know and understand the impact of culture on the various institutional systems of environmental intervention.
  37. Identify the various processes by which human populations interact with their habitat.
  38. Identify the social, economic and environmental implications of academic and professional activities in the corresponding area of knowledge.
  39. Applying the knowledge of cultural variability and its genesis to avoid ethnocentric projections.
  40. Carry out group activities.
  41. Express ideas with a specific vocabulary appropriate to the discipline.
  42. Plan work effectively, individually or in groups, in order to fulfil the planned objectives.
  43. Propose ways to evaluate projects and actions for improving sustainability.
  44. Propose new experience-based methods or alternative solutions.
  45. Propose new ways to measure the success or failure of the implementation of innovative proposals or ideas.
  46. Assess the reliability of sources, select important data and cross-check information.
  47. Integrate acquired knowledge of human biocultural diversity, its origin and its expression, with the aim of making judgements and providing society with criteria that are appropriate, scientific and ethical, and not discriminatory, sexist or racist.
  48. Conduct sound, relevant information searches in specialist media, the internet and population databases.
  49. Summarising characteristics of a written text according to its communicative purposes.
  50. Identify the recent developments in the disciplines and the linking of anthropological theory to the related social disciplines in its historical development and the current trends toward interdisciplinarity.
  51. Identify the current trends toward interdisciplinarity shared by anthropology and the related social disciplines in the corresponding field.

Contents

The course, organised in modules (the order may vary), focuses on the following aspects:


Module I. Ontological and theoretical-epistemic bases within the study of human-nature relationships. Approach to types of knowledge. Multi, inter and transdisciplinary. Origin, historical precedents and foundations of the main anthropological and academic currents and schools. Case studies and classic ethnographic examples will be presented.


Module II. To learn and reflect, more specifically, on the foundations and approaches of the scientific field of Ethnobiology and related areas. The historical precedents of the discipline, its theoretical and methodological development, and its contributions to weaving the spaces in between cultural anthropology, conservation biology and historical ecology will be presented. Current case studies will be shown.


Module III. Applied ethnobiology with a vision of sustainability. Local ecological knowledge (LEK) will be explored: what it means, what it is, how it is studied, and how it is integrated into both academia and policy decisions. A sample of methodologies that exist to study these LEK that integrate different bodies of knowledge (scientific, local, indigenous, artistic...) will be provided. Current case studies will be shown.


Module IV. Applied ethnobiology with a vision of diversity. Key topics for the discipline will be examined, such as the concept of biocultural diversity and the tools to maintain it, the processes of change and continuity in indigenous and local knowledge systems, the transition towards a decolonized, just and anti-oppressive ethnobiology. Current case studies will be shown.


Module V. The Political Ecology of biodiversity conservation is addressed, through an exploration of the historical evolution of protected –natural– areas, the process of rural reforestation and market policies applied to the conservation of biodiversity, taking as an example The ecotourism. The different models and the implicit conceptualization that these policies represent for human-nature relations are addressed, as well as the social conflicts they generate. Alternative theoretical frameworks are also examined, such as feminist ecological politics and convivial conservation models that propose ways to care for the natural environment without losing sight of issues of social justice. Current case studies will be shown.


--> For all the modules, the classes will be expository and participative, supported by digital materials (power point, ethnographic videos, videos of indigenous activists and academics, etc.) and didactic materials. The aim is for a collective construction and discussion of concepts, together with readings and practical exercises. Priority will be given to both individual and group work.


 

Learning activities and methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Theory (lectures) 30 1.2 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15
Teamwork 44 1.76 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15
Research presentations dessign 22 0.88 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15
Readings 30 1.2 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15

In this course we distinguish between theoretical classes of the modules, presentation of applied monographs and individual-group tutorials.

Theoretical classes. In the theoretical classes there will be an introduction by the teaching team, with examples and discussions with the participants. In these classes, readings will be recommended according to the interests of the participants. These classes will use transparencies and, if necessary, practical exercises will be carried out.

Monographic presentations of thematic blocks (theory and ongoing research): a substantial part of this course is devoted to the presentation by the teaching staff of monographs based on their own research in the field of ethnoecology, ecological anthropology and political ecology.

Seminars for the presentation of papers: as part of the learning process, students will be required to present (in paper format and orally) and discuss texts considered fundamental to the discipline.

Annotation: within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.

Assessment

Continuous assessment activities

Title Weight Hours ECTS Learning outcomes
Partial tests and practic exercises 35% 6 0.24 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 34, 37, 42, 44, 45, 50
Preparation and presentation of group works 50% 16 0.64 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 24, 26, 28, 31, 33, 44, 45, 49, 51
Classroom participation, practical exercises, individual or group oral presentations 15% 2 0.08 1, 6, 7, 8, 12, 14, 15, 22, 23, 25, 27, 29, 30, 32, 33, 35, 36, 38, 39, 40, 41, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48

CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT

Continuous assessment consists of the following activities:

  • 15%: Attendance.
  • 35%: Class participation, practical exercises, and individual or group oral presentations.
  • 50%: Sum of the assessable tasks for each module.

At the beginning of the course, students will be informed of the submission dates for reviews and other assessable activities.

When each assessment activity is assigned, the teaching team will inform students, through the Virtual Campus, of the procedure and date for reviewing grades.

To pass the course, students must obtain a final grade of 5 or higher.

Students will receive a grade of “Not assessable” if they have completed or submitted assessment activities representing 30% or less of the final grade for the course.

REASSESSMENT

To be eligible for reassessment, students must previously have been assessed in a set of activities representing at least two thirds of the total course grade.

An additional requirement may be set: obtaining a minimum final average grade of 3.5.

The practical partial tests and written tasks linked to the thematic modules may be reassessed, provided that their nature allows it. Attendance, class participation, in-class activities, and oral presentations cannot be reassessed, due to their practical, continuous, or performative nature.

SINGLE ASSESSMENT

Students who choose single assessment must complete three assessment activities:

  • 15%: Oral presentation of a reading or video, with prior submission of the corresponding review.
  • 35%: Exam.
  • 50%: Final paper, on a topic to be agreed with the teaching team.

The criteria for reassessment, grade review, and the “Not assessable” grade will be the same as for continuous assessment.

PLAGIARISM OR FRAUDULENT CONDUCT

If a student commits any irregularity that may lead to a significant alteration of the grade for an assessment activity, that activity will be graded 0, regardless of any disciplinary procedure that may be initiated. If several irregularities occur in the assessment activities of the same course, the final grade for that course will be 0.

USE OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE —AI—

Restricted use: in this course, the use of artificial intelligence —AI— technologies is permitted exclusively for support tasks, such as bibliographic or information searches, text correction, or translation. Students must clearly identify which parts have been generated using this technology, specify the tools used, and include a critical reflection on how these tools have influenced the process and final outcome of the activity. Lack of transparency in the use of AI will be considered a breach of academic integrity and may lead to a partial or total penalty in the grade for the activity, or more serious sanctions in severe cases.

Bibliography

Acheson, James M. (1981) “Anthropology of Fishing”, Annual Review of Anthropology 10: 275-316.

Adams, William M. and Jon Hutton (2007) “People, parks and poverty: Political ecology and biodiversity conservation”, Conservation and Society 5: 147-183.

Apostolopoulous, Evangelia, et al. (2021) “Reviewing 15 years of research on neoliberal conservation”, Geoforum 124: 236-256.

Berkes, Fikret, Johan Colding, and Carl Folke (2000) “Rediscovery of Traditional Ecological Knowledge as Adaptative Management”, Ecological Applications 10(5): 1251-1262.

Brosius, Peter J., George W. Lovelance, and Gerald G. Marten (1986) “Ethnoecology: An Approach to Understanding Traditional Agricultural Knowledge”, en Gerald G. Marten (1986) Traditional Agriculture in Southeast Asia: A Human Ecology Perspective. Colorado: Westview Press. Boulder.    

Buller H (2008) Safe from the Wolf: Biosecurity, Biodiversity, and Competing Philosophies of Nature. Environment and Planning A: Economy and Space.

Büscher, B., Fletcher, R. (2019) Towards Convivial Conservation. Conservation and Society DOI: 10.4103/cs.cs_19_75

Conklin, Harold C. (1986) “Hanunóo Color Categories”, Journal of Anthropological Research. 42(3): 441-446.

Crumley, Carole L. (ed.) (2001) New Directions in Anthropology and Environment: Intersections. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press.

Descola, Phillipe (2001) Construyendo naturalezas. Ecología simbólica y práctica social. Pp. 101-123. En: Descola, Philippe and Gísli Pálsson (coord.). Naturaleza y Sociedad. Perspectivas Antropológicas. CDMX, México: Siglo XXI.

Dove, Michael R. and Carl Carpenter (eds.) (2008) Environmental Anthropology: A Historical Reader. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing.

Ellen, Roy (1982) Environment, Subsistence andSystem: The Ecology of Small-Scale Social Formations, Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.

Ellen, Roy (1998) “Comments to P. Sillitoe: The Development of Indigenous Knowledge. A New Applied Anthropology”, Current Anthropology 39(2).

Elmhirst, R. (2015) Feminist political ecology. In (eds.) T. Perreault, G. Bridge, J. McCarthy. The Routledge Handbook of Political Ecology.

Fairhead, James and Melissa Leach (1996) Misreading African Landscape. Society and Ecology in Forest-savanna Mosaic.Cambridge, UK:  Cambridge University Press.

Haenn, Nora and Richard R. Wilk (2006) The Environment in Anthropology. A Reader in Ecology, Culture, and Susteinable Living. New York: New York University Press.

Igoe, Jim and Dan Brockington (2007) “Neoliberal conservation: A brief introduction”, Conservation and Society 5(4): 432-449.

Ingold, Tim (1986) The Appropiation of Nature. Manchester, UK: Manchester University Press

Kimmerer, Robin Wall (2015) Braiding Sweetgrass. Milkweed Editions, Minneapolis, US. (traduït al català com a \"Trenes d'herba dolça\", publicat per Editorial Cossetania).

Maestre-Andrés, Sara, Laura Calvet-Mir, and Evangelia Apostolopoulou (2018) “Unravelling stakeholder participation under conditions of neoliberal biodiversity governance in Catalonia, Spain”, Environment and Planning C: Politics and Space 36(7): 1299-1318.

Maffi, Luisa (2001) On Biocultural Diversity: Linking Language, Knowledge, and the Environment. Washington D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press.

Marten Gerald G. (2008) Human Ecology.  Basic Concepts for Sustainable Development. London and New York: Eathscan, Primera edición 2001.

McAlvay, Alex C. et al. (2021) “Ethnobiology Phase VI: Decolonizing Institutions, Projects, and Scholarship”, Journal of Ethnobiology 41(2): 170-191.

Moran, Emilio F. (2006) People and Nature. An Introduction to Human Ecological Relations. Blackwell Publishing.

Orlove, Benjamin S. (1980) “Ecological Anthropology”, Annual Review of Anthropology 9: 235-273.

Redclift, Michael (1996) Wasted: Counting the Costs of Global Consumption. London: EarthScan.

Robbins P (2012) Political versus a-political ecologies. In: Political Ecology: A critical introduction. Wiley-Blackwell.

Russell, Diane and Camilla Harshbarger (2003) Ground Work for Community-Based Conservation. Walnut Creek, CA: Altamira Press.

Sánchez Fernández, Juan Oliver (1996) “Ecología y cultura”, Política y Sociedad 23: 51-64.

Santos-Fita, Dídac, Eraldo M. Costa-Neto, and Eréndira J. Cano-Contreras (2009) “El quehacer de la etnozoología”, en: Costa-Neto, Eraldo M., Dídac Santos-Fita, and Mauricio Vargas-Clavijo (coord.). Manual de etnozoología: Una guía teórico práctica para investigar la interconexión del ser humano con los animales. Valencia: Tundra Ediciones. Pp. 23-44.

Sillitoe, Paul (1998) “The Development of Indigenous Knowledge. A New Applied Anthropology”, Current Anthropology, 39(2).

Sponsel, Leslie E. and David Casagrande (2008) \"Sacred places and biodiversity conservation\". In: Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment).

Townsend, Patricia K. (2009) Environmental Anthropology: From Pigs to Policies (Long Grove, IL: Waveland Press, Inc., Second Edition).

Turner, Nancy J. (ed) (2020). Plants, People and Places: The Roles of Ethnobotany and Ethnoecology in Indigenous Peoples’ Land Rights in Canada and Beyond. Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University Press.

Ulloa, Astrid (2009). “Concepciones de la naturaleza en la antropología actual”, en: Toledo, Sergio (coord.). Ecología y paisaje. Miradas desde Canarias. Fundación Canaria Orotava de Historia de la Ciencias. España.

Vaccaro, Ismael, Oriol Beltran, and Pierre A. Paquet (2013) “Political ecology and conservation policies: some theoretical genealogies”, Journal of Political Ecology 20: 255-272.

Zent, Egleé L. (2014) “Ecogonía II. Visiones alternativas de la bioesfera en la América indígena ¿utopía o continuum de una noción vital?”, Etnoecológica10(7).

Software

- MIcrosoft Office: word, power point, excel

- ATLAS.ti

- VLC

 

Course groups and languages

The information provided is provisional until November 30. After this date, you will be able to consult the language of each group through this link. To access the information, you will need to enter the course CODE

Type of teaching Group Language Semester Shift
(TE) Theory 1 Catalan first semester morning-mixed
(PAUL) Classroom practices 1 Catalan first semester morning-mixed