POL/SOC470: ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY, SPRING 2008
Instructor: Rick Welsh
Office: Bertrand H. Snell Hall, Room 270
Telephone: x3988
e-mail: welshjr@clarkson.edu
Office Hours: Mondays & Wednesdays: 9:30-11 & 1-2:30
Web page: www.clarkson.edu/~welshjr
INTRODUCTION
Public policy is developed in response to problems or issues in society that are presumed, for whatever reasons, not to be resolvable by the private sector. In theory, public policy as it relates to environmental issues is used to intervene to alleviate problems, such as industrial pollution, that threaten the integrity of the natural resource base and the natural and built environments on which our lives and livelihoods depend.
However, public policy development and implementation in general, and environmental policy in particular, are not immune to political forces and influences. Even scientific institutions that often provide the empirical basis for environmental policy are potentially influenced and shaped by the political process and political and economic interests.
This course introduces students to the distinctive features or characteristics of environmental policy development and implementation. The course primarily focuses on the United States but includes international environmental issues and policies. The course will help students understand how environmental policy fits within the large-scale social and economic changes in the U.S. and elsewhere that have resulted in greater environmental awareness. We will also consider how scientific evidence is created and marshaled in support of competing interpretations of environmental problems, and the appropriate policies to address such problems.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
1) To expose students to environmental policy issues
2) To enhance students= understanding of national, international and global environmental policy issues
3) To prepare students to engage in informed debate and discussion of environmental issues in general, but especially those with policy implications
REQUIRED TEXTS
Author Title
Clapp & Dauvergne Paths to a Green World
Jasanoff, S Designs on Nature
Kline, B. First Along the River
Rosenbaum, W.A . Environmental Politics and Policy (6th)
Other readings will be provided by the instructor and listed as “Handouts”
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
Attendance. You are permitted three absences without receiving a penalty. After three absences you will have points deducted from your final grade for each additional absence. After six absences, you fail the course. I do not differentiate between excused and non-excused absences. If you miss a class, you are responsible for the material we covered during that class. This is the case no matter the reason for the absence. Tardiness will also count against your attendance grade. Arriving late to class twice, counts as one absence.
Class Participation. Participating in class discussions is extremely important. Class is largely composed of discussion of the assigned readings. In order to participate well, and receive a high grade in this area, you must complete the reading assignments before you come to class.
One way of getting ready for class is to make some notes about points in the reading which you found interesting in some way. You can make these notes in a notebook or in the margins of your texts. I make notes in the margins of the text as I read. I also underline passages that I find particularly thought provoking.
To receive an A in class participation, you must make intelligent and relevant comments about the assigned readings in just about every class. If you say little or nothing during class, you will receive a low grade for participation.
Exams. There will be 3 exams. The exams will consist primarily of essay questions, and will generally require one class period to complete. I will provide a list of review essay questions before each exam. The essay questions on the exams will be a subset of the essay questions provided for review.
Quizzes. Every Wednesday we will have a brief quiz at the beginning of class. The quiz will cover the current and previous (usually Monday’s) reading assignment. The two lowest quiz grades will be dropped when calculating your average.
Assignments. I will introduce you to a useful data base developed by the EPA: the Toxic Release Inventory. You will answer a series of questions using this data base. Additional information will be provided for you on this assignment. To get started go to the following web sites: www.epa.gov/tri/ and http://www.epa.gov/ttn/ecas/benmodels.html. In addition, you will be required to answer a number of questions regarding the final guest lecture. The assignment will be due on the first day of finals week.
News summaries. I will split the class into two groups: A & B. Five times during the semester, you and the other members in your group are responsible for preparing a written summary of an article taken from the New York Times or Wall Street Journal or another credible newspaper or news magazine. Attach the article to your summary. We will spend about 20 minutes of the class discussing these articles (see reading schedule for when news summaries are due).
GRADING
Assignments 10%
Class participation 10%
News summaries 15%
Quizzes 25%
Exams 40%
GRADING SCALE
Score Grade Score Grade
100-90 A 75-70 C
89-86 B+ 69-66 D+
85-80 B 65-60 D
79-76 C+ 59 or less F
READING SCHEDULE (subject to change)
January
14 Monday Introductions
16 Wednesday Guest Lecture: Professor Dan Bradburd.
21 Monday Kline, Chaps 1-4
23 Wednesday Kline, Chaps 5-7
QUIZ 1/NEWS SUMMARY GROUP A
28 Monday Kline, Chaps 8-10
30 Wednesday Rosenbaum, Chaps 1-2
QUIZ 2/NEWS SUMMARY GROUP B
February
04 Monday EXAM #1
06 Wednesday Rosenbaum, Chaps 3-4
QUIZ 3/NEWS SUMMARY GROUP A
FEBRUARY BREAK
13 Wednesday Rosenbaum, Chaps 5-6
QUIZ 4/ NEWS SUMMARY GROUP B
18 Monday Guest Lecture:
20 Wednesday Rosenbaum, Chap. 7 and TRI exercise
QUIZ 5/ NEWS SUMMARY GROUP A
25 Monday Rosenbaum, Chap 8 and handout
27 Wednesday Rosenbaum, Chap 9
QUIZ 6/ NEWS SUMMARY GROUP B
March
03 Monday EXAM 2
05 Wednesday Rosenbaum, Chap 10 and Clapp & Dauvergne Chap 1
QUIZ 7/ NEWS SUMMARY GROUP A
10 Monday NO CLASS
12 Wednesday Clapp & Dauvergne Chaps 2-3
QUIZ 8/ NEWS SUMMARY GROUP B
SPRING BREAK
24 Monday Clapp & Dauvergne Chaps 4-5
26 Wednesday Clapp & Dauvergne Chaps 6-8
QUIZ 9/ NEWS SUMMARY GROUP A
31 Monday Jasanoff Chapters 1-2
April 02 Wednesday Jasanoff Chapters 3-4
QUIZ 10/ NEWS SUMMARY GROUP B
07 Monday Jasanoff Chapters 5-6
09 Wednesday Jasanoff Chapters 7-8
QUIZ 11
14 Monday Jasanoff Chapter 9-11
16 Wednesday EXAM 3
21 Monday Guest Lecture:
23 Wednesday Summary and wrap-up
Final Assignment Due by 4pm on April 28.