Environmental Security (NS4032) Summer 2019
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Environmental Security (NS4032) Summer 2019 Tuesdays and Thursdays, 10:00-11:50 Glasgow, Room 389 Dr. Emily Meierding Email: [email protected] Office: Glasgow 348 Office hours: Mondays, 12:30-14:30 and by appointment Course Description The physical environment we live in shapes our operating environment, military and economic performance, and national interests. It creates opportunities and constraints, domestically and internationally. In short, it provides the context in which the other activities that we study at NPS occur. Yet, until the end of the Cold War, the environment was an understudied topic in Political Science and International Relations. In the last thirty years, in contrast, many scholars and policymakers have identified the environment as a significant threat to human and national security. This seminar interrogates these claims, examining how environmental stresses, including resource scarcity, population growth, natural disasters, climate change, and pollution, trigger insecurities, including violent conflict, within and between countries. The course also examines non-violent responses to environmental stress, including migration and protest, and evaluates whether environmental stress can be a catalyst for cooperation. Throughout the course we’ll wrestle with the questions: How is the environment a security threat? Whom does it harm? How concerned should we be about these effects? How can we moderate environmental insecurity? The course blends theory and practice. Through readings, discussions, and assignments, we will critically evaluate core concepts and theories of environmental security and apply them to contemporary events, such as the Syrian civil war, Hurricanes Harvey and Maria, the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, and international competition over the Arctic. You will also conduct an in- depth evaluation of environmental insecurities in a country of your choice, to enhance your regional knowledge and practice environmental risk assessment. Course Objectives Upon completing this course, you should be able to provide informed analyses of current environmental security issues to policymakers. Specific learning objectives include: • Examine and evaluate core environmental security concepts, including scarcity and security • Recognize and critique environmental security discourses • Describe, diagram, and assess prominent environmental security theories • Apply concepts and theories to current environmental security issues 1 • Draw on theories and real world cases to diagnose current environmental insecurities, predict actors’ responses, and produce policy recommendations • Communicate key findings in written and verbal formats • Employ critical reading and analytic skills Class Preparation Readings are required and must be read prior to each class session. Most readings are available on Sakai and the syllabus contains urls for the news articles. Be sure to review the syllabus to determine whether you’re expected to complete an entire article/chapter or just part of it! I have selected class readings that are classics in the field and/or representative of prominent viewpoints on each session’s topic. The readings are not comprehensive; they are a jumping off point for further discussion. You should approach the class readings with two goals: understanding and critical assessment. When reading a text, look for answers to the following questions: • What is the article or chapter’s topic? • What is the author’s argument? • What evidence does the author use to support his or her argument? • What assumptions does the author make? • What did the author omit? • Was the argument persuasive? Why or why not? • Was the argument useful and/or important? Why or why not? • How could the argument be strengthened? The syllabus also identifies a core question for each session to guide your reading. We will always discuss these questions in class. Further Readings (at the end of the syllabus) are suggestions if you would like more information about a session’s topic. They are not required and will not be covered in class, but may be useful for your final reports. They are not on Sakai, but can be found by searching Google or Google Scholar (scholar.google.com). If you are unable to track down any of these readings, please contact me for assistance. Course Assessment Your grade will assess your progress towards the course’s learning objectives. It is based on three components: 1. Participation 35% To obtain a high participation grade, you must consistently attend class, complete the required readings before each class session, and contribute regularly to class discussions and activities. The quality of your participation also matters. 2 Participation will be evaluated on a daily basis, using a ✓+, ✓, ✓-, 0 scale • ✓+ = attended class and repeatedly contributed clear, original, informed content to class discussions and activities • ✓ = attended class and contributed clear, original, informed content to class discussions and activities • ✓- = attended class, but did not contribute clear, original or informed content to class discussions or activities • 0 = did not attend class Absenteeism: I excuse absences for illness, required appointments that cannot be scheduled outside of class time, and medical and family emergencies, if I am notified about them. Other absences are not excused. You are welcome but not required to notify me about unexcused absences. 2. Report 40% Due by midnight, 20 September For the purposes of this assignment, you are a military attaché at a US embassy. Your DCM (Deputy Chief of Mission) needs you to evaluate the risks posed by environmental stress (scarcity, degradation, etc.) within that country or between that country and a neighboring country. You will complete a 3000 word report that identifies key environmental stresses in the country, examines how they could generate insecurity, assesses the severity of the threat, and issues recommendations for threat mitigation. To create the report, you will draw on the concepts, theories, and models we cover in the course, as well as your own research on the particular issue(s) and country(s) you are examining. To ensure that the assignment is relevant to your degree, you must select a country within your NSA curriculum. The report will be evaluated on an A to F scale. I will distribute a rubric with more specific grading criteria, as well as detailed instructions, in the first week of class. 3. Portfolio 25% Various due dates (see below) Your portfolio consists of a series of assignments that build to your report. The purposes of these assignments are to encourage progress on your report, link the report to the concepts and theories we cover in class, clarify your arguments, strengthen the report’s organization and presentation, and share your findings with the class. I will provide further details about each assignment in class. All portfolio assignments will be evaluated on a ✓+, ✓, ✓-, 0 scale. • ✓+ = assignment is complete and demonstrates high level of effort and understanding of course content • ✓ = assignment is complete and demonstrates average level of effort and understanding of course content • ✓- = assignment is incomplete or demonstrates weak understanding of class content • 0 = no assignment submitted 3 A. Proposal 5% Due by midnight, 24 July Submit a report proposal. You will receive written feedback on this assignment from me. Include the following information: 1. Country (or pair of countries) you will examine 2. Environmental stress(es) you will examine 3. Explanation of why you selected #1 and #2. Why are these countries/stresses important? (1-2 paragraphs) a. This could include a discussion of the types of insecurity that you expect the selected stresses to cause b. You could also discuss implications for US national security 4. Annotated bibliography with 5+ sources. a. Provide full bibliographic information, using a standard citation format (e.g. Chicago). b. For each source, provide 1-3 sentences identifying the source’s topic and central arguments. B. Argument Map 2.5% Bring two copies to class on 30 July AND submit on Sakai Revised Map 5% Due by midnight, 10 August (submit on Sakai) Map the causal pathway from your environmental stress(es) to insecurity(s). Some of these maps will be shared in class. You can draw your maps in Word, Powerpoint, or by hand (and photographed). To submit online, please use pdf format. An effective argument map will: • Trace complete causal progressions from environmental stress to insecurity, so the reader can understand how we get from IVs (stresses) to DVs (insecurity). • Include any non-environmental factors that play important roles in the causal progression from environmental stress to insecurity. • Balance detail with clarity. C. Outline 10% Due by midnight, 25 August Complete a detailed outline of your report (2-3 pages, single spaced). You will receive written feedback on this assignment from me. Recommended format: Bulleted or numbered list of topics and sub-topics, with brief descriptions of each section’s content. D. Presentation 2.5% In class, September 12 and 17 Present your report to the class, focusing on key findings. 4 Format: 3 slides in 3 minutes Technical guidelines for report, proposal, and outline: • Submit electronic versions of assignments to the “Assignment” page on Sakai. • Include your name in the document name. • Unless otherwise noted, format written assignments as Word documents, double-spaced, with 12 point Times New Roman font, 1” margins, and page numbers. • For