STS 51-4320 * Fall 1996 * MW 11:00-12:50pm * Sage 4112
Steve Breyman
Department of Science and Technology Studies
Sage Lab 5207 * x8515/x6444 (secretary) * breyms@rpi.edu
MW 1:00-2:00pm and by appointment

ENVIRONMENTAL POLITICS & POLICY


Course Objectives
Environmental problems are essentially social, economic and political problems. The technical and scientific manifestations of problems like soil erosion or acid rain are but symptoms of problems rooted in human and institutional behavior governed by economic systems, ideology, social norms, values, laws, politics and policies. Great strides have been made toward identifying, understanding, and (to a considerably lesser extent) coping with or resolving environmental problems during the twentieth century. Paradoxically, the same scientific and technological worldviews and techniques that allow us to address environmental problems are also major generators of them. But science and technology do not operate in a vacuum. They are socially constructed systems of social relations and artifacts, methods and mindsets. They are social constituents and constituitive of society. Power and ideology, class and race, gender and culture, must all be taken into account, and mobilized as conceptual tools, when trying to understand the environmental implications of science and technology. This course, which carries social science credit only, is designed to introduce you to environmental politics and policy in the United States. Its foundation rests on the diverse perspectives of radical ecology. As Carolyn Merchant explains:
Radical ecology emerges from a sense of crisis in the industrialized world. It acts on a new perception that the domination of nature entails the domination of human beings along lines of race, class, and gender. Radical ecology confronts the illusion people are free to exploit nature and to move in society at the expense of others, with a new consciousness of our responsibilities to the rest of nature, to other humans [and to future generations]. It seeks a new ethic of nurture of nature and nurture of people. It empowers people to make changes in the world consistent with a new social vision and a new ethic.
We explore four main themes in the course: (1) the background and context of environmental politics and policy; (2) the substantive problems and political process of environmental policymaking; (3) contemporary radical environmental thought and movements; and (4) environmental issues selected and reported on by students. By the end of the course you should be prepared for more advanced study of environmental politics and policy, or for a public service internship with a governmental agency or environmental movement organization; should have polished your analytical skills, skills in the use of evidence, and research skills; should be a more accomplished public speaker and writer of policy papers; and should, finally, be a more critical, active, and independent-thinking democratic citizen capable of environmental leadership.
Course Requirements
The course consists of lectures, discussions and other in-class activities, films, examinations, and projects. The structure of the course mandates regular attendance and vigorous participation in discussions. Come to class having read and thus prepared to discuss the material assigned for that day. Semester-long environmental problem-solving projects, including oral presentations and written reports about your experience, are required. Detailed how-to project guidelines are attached. A list of recommended projects will be handed out. Students also have the option of designing their own projects. You take two in-class exams, a midterm covering material to that point, and a cumulative final. Both exams consist of one or more analytical essay question distributed one week in advance of each test. Responses should be based on an outline, should include a thematic statement, should incorporate examples from readings, lectures and other sources, and should be written in readable prose. You are permitted to bring one 81/2" x 11" page of notes to each exam. Examinations are essentially individual projects; although you are welcome to cooperate in preparing for them, you alone are responsible for their completion. Institute regulations governing academic dishonesty&emdash;review your Rensselaer Handbook&emdash;are strictly enforced. You are strongly encouraged to visit me during office hours to review notes, clear up misunderstandings, continue class discussions, receive advice on oral briefing and paper, or simply chat. Critical events over the semester include:
Midterm distribution: Monday, September 30 Midterm: Monday, October 7
Presentations/Projects due: November 25-December 4
Final distribution: Monday, December 2 Final: Monday, December 9
Course Evaluation
You are responsible for the extent and depth of your learning. I am responsible for evaluating how well you present what you learn. There are 1000 points possible. The midterm, final, oral presentation, project paper, and class participation are each worth 200 points. A = 1000-900; B = 899-800; C = 799-700; D = 699-650. As attendance is mandatory, frequent absences will be penalized at my discretion during calculation of course grades. Class participation includes not just attendance but also evidence that the assignments were completed and that you were able to intelligently discuss them. Grades for the oral presentations are based on content and organization, communication skills, and overall persuasiveness. Project papers are evaluated on style (grammar, syntax, diction, and flair) as well as content. Feel free to visit the Writing Center for assistance in preparing your paper. Project teams (should they be formed) are evaluated jointly, but individual members who do not do their share will fail the exercise. Tardy project papers will be penalized at the rate of one full grade/day. Examinations are read with an eye to structure, thoroughness, and documentation. Some guidelines for writing essay tests are on reserve at Folsom Library. Make-up exams will only be given under extraordinary circumstances.
Required Texts
The following books are available in the Book Store at the Union. One copy of each is also on 2-hour reserve at Folsom Library as a convenience and not as a substitute for buying the books. Students are responsible for copying costs of articles&emdash;also required reading&emdash;distributed in class (this saves on binding and permission costs).
Michael E. Kraft, Environmental Policy and Politics: Toward the Twenty-First Century (New York: HarperCollins, 1996).
Carolyn Merchant, Radical Ecology: The Search for a Livable World (New York: Routledge, Chapman & Hall, 1992)
Course Schedule and Reading Assignments
PART I RADICAL ECOLOGY AND THE PROBLEMS WE FACE
 
Aug 26 Introduction: Why Study EP&P? What is Radical Ecology?
Merchant, Introduction (in class)
 
Aug 28 The State of the U.S. Environment
Kraft, chap. 2
 
Sep 4 Science and Worldviews
Merchant, chap. 2
 
Sep 9 Environmental Ethics and Political Conflict
Merchant, chap. 3
 
PART II RADICAL ECOLOGICAL THOUGHT
 
Sep 11 Deep Ecology
Merchant, chap 4
 
Sep 16 Spiritual Ecology
Merchant, chap. 5
video: "The Moon's Prayer"
 
Sep 18 Social Ecology
Merchant, chap. 6
 
PART III RADICAL ECOLOGICAL MOVEMENTS
 
Sep 23 Green Politics
Merchant, chap. 7
 
Sep 25 Ecofeminism
Merchant, chap. 8
 
Sep 30 Environmental Justice
Bob Edwards, "With Liberty and Justice for All: The Emergence and Challenge of Grassroots Environmentalism," in Bron Raymond Taylor, ed., Grassroots Resistance: The Global Emergence of Popular Environmental Rebellion (Albany: SUNY Press, 1995)
guest lecturer: Peter Henner, Alliance for Environmental Renewal
simulation: citizen suit over pollution
Midterm distributed
 
Oct 2 Sustainable Development
Merchant, chap. 9
 
Oct 7 Midterm
 
PART IV ENVIRONMENTAL POLICYMAKING: POLITICS & PROCESS
 
Oct 21 Environmental Politics in the 1990s
Kraft, chap. 1
 
Oct 23 The Evolution of Environmental Policy
Kraft, chap. 3
 
Oct 28 The Contours of Pollution Control Policy
Kraft, chap. 4, pp. 82-99
 
Oct 30 The EPA: Standards, Costs, Regulations
Kraft, chap. 4, pp. 99-118
video: "We All Live Downstream"
 
Nov 4 Energy Policy
Kraft, chap. 5, pp. 119-131
 
Nov 6 Natural Resources Policy
Kraft, chap. 5, pp. 131-156
video: "Through the Eyes of the Forest"
 
Nov 11 Environmental Policy Evaluation
Kraft, chap. 6, pp. 157-172
 
Nov 13 Regulatory Reform
Kraft, chap. 6, pp. 172-183
 
Nov 18 The Anti-toxics Struggle
videos: "No Time to Waste" and "The Rush to Burn"
 
Nov 20 Toward Sustainability
Kraft, chap. 7
 
PART V ORAL PRESENTATIONS
 
Nov 25 Presentation Day One
 
Dec 2 Presentation Day Two
Final distributed
 
Dec 4 Presentation Day Three
 
Dec 9 Final
 
PROJECT GUIDELINES
The chief student-led component of this course is a project on a local environmental policy problem or issue. Students work as individuals or as part of a team that is assigned the third or fourth class meeting. Each individual or team prepares a written briefing paper and gives an oral briefing on an issue or problem selected in consultation with me. Teams devise a division of labor so that individual team members each have specific tasks to perform. At the same time, team members work collectively and are jointly responsible for the overall project. To ensure productive cooperation, teams may choose a facilitator who is responsible for organizing regular team meetings, maintaining team communication, and coordinating team efforts. Recall that team members who do not pull their weight will fail the project exercise. The guidelines below must be closely followed throughout preparation and presentation of your briefing; any deviation from them, not cleared with me in advance, will hurt your grade.
The project requires you to connect your knowledge of environmental politics and policy to some campus, local or state environmental problem or issue. This is an interactive exercise: you are expected both to apply knowledge and skills you've already learned in this or other courses, and to learn-by-doing (sometimes called "service learning"). This is not a "fake" project, we are not just going through the motions. You are to take seriously your chosen mission and to do your utmost to achieve it. Students are welcome to work alone or, depending on the issue, in conjunction with an environmental movement organization or government agency. You must:
1) select an issue from the attached list;
2) write a proposal about your issue and consult with me about it;
3) determine what courses of action (solutions to the problem) are available;
4) determine the advantages and disadvantages of each course of action using appropriate criteria;
5) collectively decide on the optimal option;
6) "implement" your solution to the problem;
7) report on your project orally and in written form.
Proposal and Consultation
After selecting an issue or problem, prepare a proposal on your topic. The proposal is the basis for your consultation with me; consultations take place during the fifth week of the semester. Your proposal should be no longer than four pages, computer-printed, double-spaced. It should do the following:
* Describe briefly the environmental policy issue you will address. The issue should be phrased as a question in the following form:
What should I/we do about issue X?
* Identify the objectives to be achieved by your solution to the problem.
* Describe briefly the major policy alternatives&emdash;courses of action for you or your team&emdash; you expect to examine.
* Identify the variables or criteria for assessing the value of alternative courses of action. That is, how are you able to tell whether one option is better than another?
* Describe briefly how you plan to start getting information. To whom will you talk first? What written material will you read first?
During our consultation, I will help you shape your topic, suggest questions answers to which may be critical for your success, and recommend sources of information. The product of our consultation should be a thorough outline of your project. The more time you put into consultation preparation, the more your team will get out of it. Even with considerable preparation, you will likely be required to submit a revised proposal to me within a week of our consultation. Failure to promptly submit the revision will be reflected in your evaluation.
Oral Report
The third step is to present your findings orally. Keep the following in mind:
* Your presentation should last no more than three-quarters of the total time available. The remaining quarter (or more) should be reserved for a question and answer period.
* Plan to get your main message across in the first five minutes or so. Use the rest of the time to present details of argument, evidence, and other material that you deem important or interesting. End with a short, snappy conclusion that drives home your main message.
* Use visual aids when possible. They assist memory and comprehension (both your own and that of your audience). Don't overcrowd your visuals. Can they be read from the back of the room?
* Check ahead of time to make sure the room has the proper AV equipment and that it works.
* Practice&emdash;at least by yourselves; better yet, in front of friends or a camcorder. Take special care to hone your timing and delivery.
* Arrive ahead of time. Relax. Enjoy yourselves.
Project Report&emdash;Content
The fourth step is preparation of your written project report. The paper is essentially a written and more detailed version of your oral report. You submit the paper the day of your oral report. Your paper should include the following in the order prescribed by the next section:
* Problem definition (explanation and defense of your issue: what is it, why is it important or worth doing).
* Objectives to be served by preferred option (what good things will arise from your solution to the problem).
* Policy options for solving the problem.
* Analysis of the advantages and disadvantages of each option, in terms of objectives and assessment criteria arrived at in our consultation. How does each option relate to each objective? Weight the objectives to determine their relative importance. Defend your weighting scheme.
* Recommendation: explanation of which option is best, which is second best, and which is worst&emdash;and why.
Writing the Briefing Paper&emdash;Format
You must turn in two copies of your paper. Your paper should be neat and attractively formatted, organized so that a reader with little time can find things readily, and written in clear and concise prose. It must incorporate the following elements, which are designed to make the report accessible to your readers, thus inclining them to accept your message:

* Title page (complete with authors' names, Team letter, and other pertinent information).
* Executive summary (like an abstract; no more than one page; include recommendation).
* Table of contents (include page numbers for headings and subheadings).
* Body of paper, with clear headings and subheadings.
* Visual aids (graphs, tables, etc.).
* Citations (style is up to you but be consistent).
* Appendices, if appropriate.
* Bibliography or References list (use some standard style and stick with it).
Use the "top-down" approach to organizing your findings: state your news&emdash;your recommendations and major reasons for them&emdash;first. Then discuss each option in order of importance. How long should the paper be? Long enough to present your recommendations, objectives and options, major supporting arguments and evidence clearly and convincingly, but not so long that the reader is distracted. Remember: you can always relegate detailed supporting material (membership figures, public opinion data, etc.) to appendices. Coordinate the several sections of the paper into a seamless web: standardize the approach within them, and make transitions between them. It should not read or look like a patchwork quilt. Each of you are collectively responsible for the team paper. Thus, do not wait until the last minute to stitch it all together. If you take editing responsibilities seriously, it shows.
[ Current Courses ]