GEOG 270 – Autumn 2007

 

Geography of Development and Environmental Change

 

 

 

Readings

 

 

Starting Out: What is Development?

 

 

Date

Topics and Readings

 

9/26 (Wed)

Introductions

What (and Where) is Development?

  1. Willis, Katie. (2005) “Environment and Development Theory.” Theories and Practices of Development. New York: Routledge. (pp. 146-172).

 

 

9/28 (Fri)

Development History and Theory

1.      Lawson, Victoria. (2007). “Development as Intervention: From Modernization to Neo-liberalism.” Making Development Geography. New York: Oxford University Press. (pp. 68-92 only).

 

 

10/1 (Mon)

Sustainability: A Nexus of Development and Environmental Studies

1.      Dryzek, John S. (2005) “The Quest for Sustainability” and “Environmentally Benign Growth: Sustainable Development.” The Politics of the Earth.  New York: Oxford University Press. (pp.143-161).

2.      Adams, W.M. (1990) “The Dilemma of Sustainability.” Green Development. New York: Routledge. (pp. 1-21).

 

 

 

Topic 1: Population and Consumption

 

 

Date

Topics and Readings

 

10/3 (Wed)

The “Population Bomb”: Overpopulation Defined as a “Problem”

1.      Coast, Earnestina.  (2002). “Population trends in Developing Countries.” The Companion to Development Studies. London: Arnold. (pp. 360-367).

2.      Ehrlich, Dr. Paul R. (1975). “Prologue,” “Forward,” and “Chapter 1: The Problem.” The Population Bomb. Rivercity, MA: Rivercity Press. (pp.xi-25).

 

Film: “Future in the Cradle”

 

 

10/5 (Fri)

Malthus: Grandfather of Overpopulation Theories

  1. Keyfitz, Nathan (1982) "Population Theory." International Encyclopedia of Population. John Ross, ed. New York: The Free Press. (pp. 539-540, section on Malthus only).
  2. Robbins, Richard. (2002) “The Problem of Population Growth.” Global Problems and the Culture of Capitalism. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. (pp.  133-145 only).

 

 

10/8 (Mon)

There is no “Problem”: Probability, Modernization, Techno-optimism and the Cornucopia Theory

  1. Simon, Julian L. (1985). “Why Do We Still Think Babies Create Poverty?” The Washington Post. 13 October, 1985.
  2. Gray, Robert J. (1984). “More People Mean More Famine.” The Washington Post. 24 November 1984.
  3. Roach, John. (2001). “Forecast Sees Halt to Population Growth by  the End of the Century.” National Geographic News. (Accessed from http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2001/08/0806_population.html on September 23, 2007).

 

 

10/10 (Wed)

Limitations and Consequences of the Malthusian View

  1. Robbins, Richard. (2002) “The Problem of Population Growth.” Global Problems and the Culture of Capitalism. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. (pp.  146-162).

 

Film: “Legacy of Malthus”

 

 

10/12 (Fri)

Consumption & Ecological Footprints: We’re not all Equal

  1. Venetoulis, Jason and John Talberth. (2005) “Ecological Footprint of Nations” Accessed from http://www.ecologicalfootprint.org/pdf/Footprint of Nations 2005.pdf on September 23, 2007.
  2. Moffat, Ian. (2000) “Ecological Footprint.” Ecological Economics 32 (2000) (pp. 359–362).

 

 

10/15 (Mon)

Public and Private “Solutions”

  1. Sagoff, Mark. (1997) “Do We Consume Too Much?” The Atlantic Monthly; Jun 1997; 279, 6. (pp. 60-96).
  2. Scor, Juliet. (1999) “The New Politics of Consumption.” Boston Review. (Accessed from http://www.bostonreview.net/BR24.3/schor.html on September 18, 2007)

 

 

10/17 (Wed)

Guest Lecture: Dr. Doug Mercer on “‘Individualization’ & Consumption Politics”

  1. Maniantes, Michael. (2002) “Individualization: Plant a Tree, buy a Bike, Save the World?” Confronting Consumption. London: MIT Press. (pp.43-59, 65-66).

 

 

 

 

Topic 2: Global Climate Change and the Third World

 

 

 

 

Date

Topics and Readings

 

10/19 (Fri)

Introduction to Global Warming and the Third World

1.      Kobert text, Fieldnotes from a Catastrophe chapters 1 & 2

2.      Rosenthal, Elisabeth and Andrew Revkin. (2007) “Science Panel Calls Global Warming ‘Unequivocal’.” New York Times. February 3, 2007.

 

 

10/22 (Mon)

Science and Politics of Global Warming

1.      Treut, H., et. al. (2007) “Historical Overview of Climate Change Science” (IPCC report). Read only the “frequently asked questions” 1.1, 1.2, and 1.3 on pp.96-97, 104-105, and 115-16. The balance of the report is optional.

2.      IPCC (2007). “Summary for Policy Makers [from working group II].” Read parts A and B; pp. 8-10, skim part C, pp. 11-18; read part D, pp. 19-20.

 

 

10/24 (Wed)

Effects of Global Warming in the Third World

1.      Revkin, Andrew. (2007). “Reports from Four Fronts in the War on Warming.” New York Times. April 3, 2007.

2.      Steinberg, Philip and Kathleen Sherman-Morris. (2004). “Global Warming and Sea-Level Rise in Oceania.” People in Places: A Documentary Case-Study Workbook. Pearson: Upper Saddle River, NJ.

3.      Aslam, Abid. (2007) “Warming May Trigger Agricultural Collapse.” Inter Press Services News Agency. September 14, 2007.

4.      Revkin, Andrew. (2007). “Aid to Help Asia and Africa With Effects of Warming.” New York Times. August 9, 2007.

5.      Walsh, Bryan. (2007) “Third World Smoke Alarm.” Time Magazine. May 10, 2007 (accessed at http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1619098,00.html)

 

 

10/26 (Fri)

Guest Lecture: Sarah Page on “Climate Change and Health”

1.      Patz, Jonathan and Sari Kovats. (2002)/ “Hotspots in Climate Change and Global Health.” BMJ. Vol. 325, November 200. pp. 1094-1098.

2.      Stone, Richard. (1995). “If the Mercury Soars, so may Health Problems.” Science. February 17, 1995.

3.      Patz, Jonathan, et. al. (2005). “Impact of Regional Climate Change on Global Health.” Nature. vol. 438. November 2005. (Skim)

4.      Environmental Protection Agency. (2007) “Climate Change – Health and Environmental Effects.” (Optional) (access at www.epa.gov/climatechange/effects/health.html

 

 

10/29 (Mon)

Guest Lecture: Dr. Doug Mercer on “Common Property, Ozone Depletion, and Global Warming”

1.      Thomas Dietz, et al. (2003). “The Struggle to Govern the Commons.” Science 302, Dec. 12, 2003. (pp. 1907-1912).

 

 

10/31 (Wed)

Global Problem, Local Responses

1.      Kobert text, Fieldnotes from a Catastrophe chapters 7, 8, & 10.

2.      Deutch, Claudia (2007) “Trying to Connect the Dinner Plate to Climate Change.” New York Times. August 29, 2007.

3.      McWilliams, James. (2007) “Food that Travels Well.” New York Times. August 6, 2007

 

 

11/2 (Fri)

Midterm Review – Bring your questions to class.

 

 

11/5

Midterm Exam

 

 

 

Topic 3: Green Revolution / Gene Revolution: Genetically Modified Organisms and Development

 

 

Date

Topics and Readings

 

11/7 (Wed)

Introduction to the Green Revolution

  1. Easterbrook, Gregg. (1997). “Forgotten Benefactor of Humanity.” Atlantic Monthly. January 1997. (pp. 74-82.)
  2. Chapman, Graham P. (2002). “The Green Revolution.” The Companion to Development Studies. London: Arnold. (pp.155-159).

 

Film: “Revolution and After”

 

 

11/9 (Fri)

Consequences of the Green Revolution

  1. Abraham, John. (1991) “The Green Revolution Revisited.” Food and Development. World Wildlife Fund. (pp. 60-89).
  2. Shiva, Vandana. (1991). “Chapter 5: The Political and Cultural Costs of the Green Revolution.” The Violence of the Green Revolution. pp. 171-192.

 

11/12 (Mon)

HOLIDAY (Veterans’ Day)

 

11/14 (Wed)

Introduction to the “Gene Revolution”

  1. DaSilva, Edgar J. (2002). “GMOs and Development.” Electronic Journal of Biotechnology. Chile: Universidad Catolica de Valparaiso.
  2. Goff, Stephen A. and John M. Salmeron. (2004). “Back to the Future of Cereals.” Scientific American. vol. 291, no. 2. August 2004.
  3. James, Clive. () “Global Review of Commercialized Transgenic Crops.” Current Science. vol. 84, no. 3. February 2003. (skim read only, pp 303-309)

 

Film: “Deconstructing Supper”

 

 

11/16 (Fri)

Guest: Kacy McKinney on “GMOs and Social Movements in Brazil”

  1. Pollan, M. 2001. "Great Yellow Hype" New York Times Magazine. March 4. http://www.biotech-info.net/yellow_hype.html
  2. Fearnside, P.M. (2001) Soybean cultivation as a threat to the environment in Brazil. Environmental Conservation, 28(1): 23-38
  3. Herring, Ronald J. (2007) 'Stealth seeds: Bioproperty, biosafety, biopolitics', Journal of Development Studies, 43:1, (pp. 130-157).

 

 

11/19 (Mon)

Debate: Is Biotech a Good Thing for the Third World?

  1. McGloughlin, Martina. (1999). “Ten Reasons Why Biotechnology will be Important to the Developing World.” AgrobioForum. vol. 2, nos. 3&4. (pp. 163-174).
  2. Altieri, Miguel and Scott Rosset. (1999). “Ten Reasons Why Biotechnology Will Not Ensure Food Security, Protect the Environment and Reduce Poverty in the Developing World.” AgrobioForum. vol. 2, nos. 3&4. (pp. 155-162).
  3. Altieri, Miguel. (2000). “No: Poor Farmers Won’t Reap the Benefits.” Foreign Policy. no. 119. Summer 2000. (pp. 123-131)

 

 

11/21 (Wed)

Class cancelled.

 

 

11/23 (Fri)

HOLIDAY (Thanksgiving)

 

11/26 (Mon)

No readings assigned.

 

 

11/28 (Wed)

GMO Risks and Third World Policy Responses

1.      Paarlberg, Robert L. (2000). “Governing the GM Crop Revolution: Policy Choices for Developing Countries.” (Report to the International Food Policy Institute.) – Read chapters 1, 2 and 7, plus at least one of the case studies (chapters 3, 4, 5 & 6).

 

 

11/30 (Fri)

GMOs, Food Security and Food Aid

1.      Zerbe, Noah. (2004). “Feeding the Famine? American Food Aid and the GMO Debate in Southern Africa.” Food Policy. no. 29, 2004. pp. 593-608.

 

 

12/3 (Mon)

GMO Wrap-up: Sustainability and “Privatized Development

1.      Shiva, Vandana. (2000). “The Hijacking of the Global Food Supply.” Stolen Harvest. pp.  5- 20.

 

 

12/5 (Wed)

Course Wrap-up: Global Problems, Local Solutions?

1.      Chambers, Robert. (1997). Whose Reality Counts? Putting the First Last.  Chapter 1 (pp. 1-14 only).

 

 

12/7 (Fri)

Last Day of Class (no readings assigned)