Environmental Anthropology
Code: 107251Credits: 6
| Degree programme | Type | Course |
|---|---|---|
| Social and Cultural Anthropology | OB | 3 |
Contact lecturer
- Name :
- Hugo Valenzuela Garcia
- Email :
- hugo.valenzuela@uab.cat
Teaching staff
- Victoria Reyes Garcia
- Alvaro Fernandez-Llamazares Onrubia
- Sílvia Gomez Mestres
Teaching staff (external to UAB)
- Jorge C. Llopis
Group languages
You can consult this information at the end of the document.
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge in anthropology and ecology
Objectives
The objectives of the course are:
- To understand the main cosmologies associated with the relationship between Nature and Culture.
- To become familiar with the programmatic body of theoretical contributions and classic ethnographic case studies in Ecological Anthropology, in both its thematic and historical sense.
- To become familiar with the work of the most prominent figures in this field: their theoretical, methodological, and ethnographic contributions.
- To gain first-hand knowledge of some current and contemporary ethnographic work being carried out by researchers (ICTA and Department of Anthropology)
Learning outcomes
- CM22 (Apply anthropological concepts, methods and theory with an interdisciplinary approach to the interpretation of contemporary challenges.) Apply anthropological concepts, methods and theory with an interdisciplinary approach to the interpretation of contemporary challenges.
- CM23 (Estimate the social, economic and environmental impact of contemporary challenges in relation to human diversity.) Estimate the social, economic and environmental impact of contemporary challenges in relation to human diversity.
- KM25 (Identify the theoretical proposals for understanding contemporary socio-cultural challenges, as well as their links with other scientific disciplines and current interdisciplinary trends.) Identify the theoretical proposals for understanding contemporary socio-cultural challenges, as well as their links with other scientific disciplines and current interdisciplinary trends.
- KM27 (Identify local and global contexts in the analysis of contemporary anthropological challenges.) Identify local and global contexts in the analysis of contemporary anthropological challenges.
- KM28 (Compare and contrast information related to practical cases of interventions in different contexts and contemporary challenges of anthropology.) Compare and contrast information related to practical cases of interventions in different contexts and contemporary challenges of anthropology.
- SM32 (Explain current interdisciplinary developments to analyse knowledge related to contemporary challenges.) Explain current interdisciplinary developments to analyse knowledge related to contemporary challenges.
- SM34 (Use the ethnographic corpus to issue critical reflections on complex problems related to contemporary challenges.) Use the ethnographic corpus to issue critical reflections on complex problems related to contemporary challenges.
- SM36 (Report in a clearly, explanatory and synthetic manner using appropriate and specialised language in relation to contemporary challenges.) Report in a clearly, explanatory and synthetic manner using appropriate and specialised language in relation to contemporary challenges.
Contents
The course, organized into modules —whose order may vary—, focuses on the following aspects:
Module I. Theoretical and epistemological foundations for the study of human-nature relations. Origins, historical precedents, and foundations of the main approaches: Boasian particularism, neoevolutionism, cultural ecology, ecological anthropology, ethnosciences of nature, anthropology of nature, etc. Classic case studies and ethnographic examples will be presented.
Module II. Specific reflection 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 articulating intermediate spaces between cultural anthropology, conservation biology, and historical ecology will be presented. Current case studies will also be discussed.
Module III. Applied ethnobiology from a sustainability perspective. Exploration of local ecological knowledge —LEK—: what the concept means, what these forms of knowledge are, how they are studied, and how they are integrated both into academia and into political decision-making. A sample of methodologies for studying LEK will be presented, integrating different bodies of knowledge —scientific, local, Indigenous, artistic, among others—. Current case studies will also be discussed.
Module IV. Applied ethnobiology from a social and environmental justice perspective. Key issues for the discipline will be examined, such as the concept of biocultural diversity, processes of change and continuity in Indigenous knowledge systems, the struggles of Indigenous peoples for environmental justice, and the transition toward a decolonized, just, and anti-oppressive ethnobiology. Current case studies will also be discussed.
Module V. Political ecology of biodiversity conservation. The module will address the historical evolution of one of the main conservation policies: protected natural areas. It will examine the different models and the implicit conceptualizations they represent within human-nature relations, as well as the social conflicts they generate. It will also analyze new market-based policies applied to biodiversity conservation, using conservation banks as an example, and will examine their main conceptual assumptions. The controversies they generate will be addressed in relation to the rethinking of society-nature relations, conservation practice, and the commodification of conservation. Current case studies will also be discussed.
Learning activities and methodology
| Title | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reading | 32 | 1.28 | KM25, KM28, SM34 |
| Taking notes and generating a course document | 40 | 1.6 | CM23, KM25, SM36 |
| Work on theoretical concpts | 10 | 0.4 | KM25 |
| Team work | 23 | 0.92 | CM23, KM27, SM34 |
| Debates | 20 | 0.8 | CM23, KM27, KM28, SM32, SM34 |
| Practical module activity | 10 | 0.4 | KM28, SM32, SM36 |
| Workshops and presentations | 15 | 0.6 | CM22, CM23, KM27 |
In this course, we distinguish between theoretical classes for the modules, presentations of applied monographic topics, and individual or group tutorials.
Theoretical classes. In the theoretical classes, the teaching team will provide an introduction, with examples and discussions with the participants. Readings will be recommended according to the participants’ interests. Slides will be used in these classes and, where appropriate, 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 team, of monographic topics based on their research in the fields of ethnoecology, ecological anthropology, and political ecology.
Seminars for the presentation of assignments: as part of the learning process, students will have to present —both in written format and orally— and discuss texts considered fundamental to the discipline.
Assessment
Continuous assessment activities
| Title | Weight | Hours | ECTS | Learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Participation | 30 | 0 | 0 | KM27, KM28, SM32, SM34, SM36 |
| Module assignments/tasks | 55 | 0 | 0 | CM23, KM25, KM27, KM28, SM32, SM34, SM36 |
| Attendance | 15 | 0 | 0 | CM22, CM23, KM25, KM27, KM28, SM32, SM34, SM36 |
CONTINUOUS ASSESSMENT
The continuous assessment of the course consists of the following activities:
15% — Attendance and regular participation in class sessions.
30% — Classroom participation, practical exercises, debates, and individual or group oral presentations.
55% — Practical activities, assignments, or submissions linked to the different course modules.
To pass the course, students must obtain a final grade of 5 or higher. In the case of practical activities, assignments, or submissions linked to the course modules, students must obtain a minimum average grade of 5 in this assessment block.
Students will receive a “Not assessable” grade if they have completed or submitted assessment activities representing 30% or less of the final grade.
At the time each assessment activity is assigned, the teaching staff will inform students, through the Virtual Campus, of the procedure and date for reviewing grades.
REASSESSMENT
To be eligible for reassessment, students must have previously been assessed on a set of activities representing at least two thirds of the final course grade.
Practical activities, assignments, or submissions linked to the course modules may be reassessed if they have not been passed. Reassessment will consist of revising, repeating, or submitting an equivalent activity, as indicated by the teaching team.
Attendance, ordinary classroom participation, debates, and presentations linked to the regular development of the course cannot be reassessed, given their face-to-face and continuous nature.
SINGLE ASSESSMENT
Students who opt for single assessment must submit or complete, on a single date, the following evidence:
15% — Oral presentation of a reading, video, or material proposed by the teaching team, with the prior or simultaneous submission of a brief review.
35% — Exam on the theoretical, methodological, and ethnographic contents covered in the course.
50% — Final paper on a topic linked to the contents of the course, previously agreed upon or validated by the teaching team. The paper must demonstrate analytical capacity, appropriate use of the bibliography, articulation of theoretical concepts, and critical reflection on a relevant case or issue in environmental anthropology.
Students will receive a “Not assessable” grade in the single assessment system if they do not submit or complete evidence representing more than 30% of the final grade.
The same grade review procedure as in continuous assessment will apply. When the single assessment is scheduled, the teaching staff will inform students, through the Virtual Campus, of the procedure and date for reviewing grades.
Reassessment in the single assessment system will follow the same general criteria as the course. The exam and the final paper may be reassessed, provided that they were submitted or completed on the established date and were not passed. The oral presentation may only be reassessed if the teaching team considers it feasible for justified reasons.
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
Basic Office Software
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/Spanish | first semester | morning-mixed |
| (PAUL) Classroom practices | 1 | Catalan/Spanish | first semester | morning-mixed |