Stanford University-winter ‘06
Tel. 725-9704 or 324-3454 Armin Rosencranz
(calls always welcome) Office hours: M &W 3-5 and by
EM: armin apptmt: Inner quad 100/102G
IR 134, HB 135
GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
Overview
This course is designed to acquaint students with the international management of regional and global environmental issues. The focus is not only on the issues themselves, but on the international institutions and agreements that have been created to manage them. The course will begin with an overview of facts and root causes of global environmental problems; IEL sources and norms, and how such norms are implemented; global environmental institutions and actors. Next, we will seek to develop a sense of what works in global environmental management and what does not. Specific topics to be addressed include transboundary air and water pollution, ozone depletion, global climate change, biological diversity and endangered species, global forest protection, oceans and fisheries, the export and dumping of hazardous chemicals and wastes, international trade and the environment, and North/South equity issues.
Course Responsibilities
There are five equal components to the class: Two eight page papers on self-chosen topics; a treaties exercise of eight pages -- choose your own treaty or agreement or global institution; a class presentation; and class and discussion section participation. There will be no exams. There will be a Friday makeup class during the weeks of 1/16 and 2/20.
Class members will be expected to have completed the week's reading and be prepared to comment on it. Teams of class members will be responsible for one of the course's nine issue units and will lead a Monday class. Each team will refer to a copy of Poles Apart, a publication of India's Centre for Science and Environment, to get the southern (developing countries') perspective. Each class member will also meet in a student-facilitated weekly one-hour discussion section. The treaties exercise will be due on Jan. 25th. Two research papers of 8 -10 pages will be required, on different subjects from the class presentation. The first paper will be due in the sixth week, and the second paper will be due in the ninth week. Both papers will be returned during conferences with Armin.
C. Required Reading
Chasek et al., Global Environmental Politics, 4th ed. (Chasek)
Axelrod et al., The Global Environment: Institutions, Law & Policy (Axelrod)
Coursework materials each week (CW)
D. Syllabus:
Jan. 11 Global Environmental Policy: Introduction and Whaling Convention
Armin's norms article (email your three critical norms)
Jan. 18&20 1. Global environmental institutions, regimes and norms I
Chasek, 1-40; Axelrod, 1-8; 21-40; 200-220.
Conferences on research plans.
Jan. 23 & 25 2. Global environmental institutions, regimes and norms II
Axelrod, 43-80; 163-178. Chasek 197-232..
Treaty exercise due
Class presentations begin.
Jan. 30 & 2/1 3. Actors in the environmental arena
Chasek, 41-95; Axelrod, 83-101
Feb. 6 & 8. 4. Transboundary Air pollution, O3, Global Climate Change
Chasek, 97-128; Axelrod 103-121. CW.
Feb.13 & 15 5. The global commons: Antarctica, oceans and fisheries
Chasek, 167-175; CW
First research paper due. (Presenters may have extensions.)
Feb. 22 & 24 6 Hazardous Chemicals and Wastes
Chasek, 128-143; Axelrod 125-141; CW.
Conferences on papers.
7.
Feb.27&Mar,1. 7. Biodiversity, Endangered Species and Habitat
Chasek, 143-195; CW
Mar. 6 & 8 8. International Trade and Environment
Chasek, 243-261; Axelrod 146-159.; CW
Second research paper due
Mar. 13 & 15 9. North/South Issues and Conclusion
Chasek, 234-243; Axelrod, 225-240; Chasek, 261-278.
Conferences on papers.
E. Websites and Sources
Several websites and other sources may be helpful both in fleshing out the reading and in researching your paper. They include: http://www.wcl.american.edu/environment/IEL
http//www.issd.ca/linkages/ ; http/www.unep.ch/ozone;/Iucc;/Ipcc.
http://worldbank.org
http://planetark.org/searchhome.cfm
CIA Factbook
World Watch Vital Signs
World Resources Institute --all publications
Earth Negotiations Bulletin
www.cseindia.org
Research and Writing Project
The research papers' subjects will be of each person's choosing. It can be derived from any of the topics, materials or questions in the book. The organization, format and content of the paper should be similar to a short note in a scholarly journal. The papers should be at least eight and no longer than 10 double spaced word-processed pages, excluding footnotes. Each paper should critically analyze an issue, institution or agreement concerning global environmental policy. It should summarize any current debate or controversy over this subject, describe alternative approaches to resolving the issue, and present the writer's rationale for choosing particular policies. Full research paper guidelines will be distributed in class.
Communality:
The first few minutes of every class meeting will be available for 'feedback'. Use this time to air any questions or problems. Frequently, the answer to a question will not be immediately available. I will make every effort to research a question or problem before the next class meeting.
Participation and Grades
The subject matter is complex and attendance at classes is vital. Please email me if anything will keep you from attending the next day's class. Class participation is also vital. This means taking responsibility for speaking up, asking focused questions and offering thoughtful answers.
Evaluation: A. Research Papers - 20% each.
B. Treaty Exercise - 20%
C. Class Presentation - 20%
D. Seminar and Discussion Section Participation - 20%
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