Accessibility statement

Environmental justice, harm, & policy - SPY00058H

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  • Department: Social Policy and Social Work
  • Module co-ordinator: Prof. Carolyn Snell
  • Credit value: 20 credits
  • Credit level: H
  • Academic year of delivery: 2024-25

Module summary

The distribution of environmental ‘goods’ (such as clean air, water, fuel and so on) and ‘bads’ (including pollution, exposure to hazards etc.) often falls along the lines of existing systemic social divisions such as generation, gender, race/ethnicity and social class. Furthermore, at the global level, these distributions often fall unequally across developed and developing countries.

The module covers three core elements:

  1. Patterns of environmental harm
  2. Addressing these patterns through policymaking
  3. Enforcing policy and punishing offenders

Professional requirements

N/A

Module will run

Occurrence Teaching period
A Semester 2 2024-25

Module aims

The module covers three core elements:

1.Exploring patterns of environmental harm

The distribution of environmental ‘goods’ (such as clean air, water, fuel and so on) and ‘bads’ (including pollution, exposure to hazards etc.) often falls along the lines of existing systemic social divisions such as generation, gender, race/ethnicity and social class. Furthermore, at the global level, these distributions often fall unequally across developed and developing countries. The environmental justice movement suggests that more needs to be done to address these inequalities. The module will explore these distributions in depth.

2. Explaining patterns of environmental harm

Whilst policy and regulatory frameworks have been designed to limit exposure to particular environmental harms, for example, placing limitations on the type and amount of pollution a factory can emit, these do not always provide sufficient protection to humans and non-humans. Moreover, existing regulations are often breached with very few consequences. The module will explore how breaches of regulation/policy/law occur, and how they are handled. Time will be dedicated to:

  • Exploring corporate environmental crimes through the Deep Water Horizon case study

  • Exploring state harms via an exploration of illegal patterns of electronic waste

3. Addressing these patterns of harm through policy

The module will consider the challenges of making policies that rectify the unequal distribution of environmental goods and bads. Specific focus will be given to:

  • The challenges of agreeing to take action at the global level - for example, making agreeing on climate policies that take account of unequal distributions of environmental harm;

  • Understanding national policymaking – considering the dilemmas that policymakers must face when attempting to make environmental policies;

  • Considering issues of power and voice at the local policy level – who has the ability to influence policy and who does not.

Specific Module Aims:

1. To explore how theories of environmental justice, harm, and crime can help us understand existing patterns of environmental problems

2. To explore the relationship between society and environmental harm

2. To critically investigate patterns of environmental harm

3. To consider the role of the state in addressing or enabling environmental harms

3. To consider how these patterns of environmental harm have been addressed through policymaking

4. To critically evaluate the effectiveness of policy responses

Module learning outcomes

1. Understand the causes of environmental harm and subsequent human impacts

2. Recognise and critically investigate the unequal distributions of environmental ‘bads’ and ‘goods’ and the main drivers of these inequalities

3. Draw on key theories of environmental (in) justice and harm to undertake analysis and explanation of unequal distributions of environmental harm

4. Critically evaluate policy responses that attempt to address unequal distributions of environmental harm

Module content

An introduction to environmental harm, justice, and policy making

Climate Justice: Understanding and addressing global inequalities

Environmental racism: the case of the USA

Climate change and fuel poverty: English policy dilemmas

Hunger in a changing environment

Gendered disasters

Disabling environments

Environmental crime: punishing offenders

Participation and protest

The future of environmental justice debates

Assessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Project - 4000 words		 N/A 100

Special assessment rules

None

Reassessment

Task Length % of module mark
Essay/coursework
Essay - 4000 words		 N/A 100

Module feedback

Feedback will be given in accordance with the University Policy on feedback in the Guide to Assessment as well as in line with the School policy.

Indicative reading

Agyeman, J., Bullard, D., and Evans, B (2002) Exploring the Nexus: Bringing Together Sustainability, Environmental Justice and Equity, Space and Polity, 6:1, 77-90

Anand, R. (2004) International Environmental Justice, London: Routledge,

Schlosberg, D. (2013) Theorising environmental justice: the expanding sphere of a discourse, Environmental Politics, 22:1, 37-55

Snell, C.J., Bevan, M., and Thomson, H. (2015) Justice, fuel poverty and disabled people in England, Energy Research and Social Science, 10: pp 123-132

Snell, C. and Haq, G. (2014) A Short Guide to Environmental Policy Policy Press, Bristol

Vanderheiden, S. (2015) Environmental Justice, London: Routledge,

Pearse, R. (2017) Gender and climate change, WIREs Clim Change, 8: e451.

Pellow, D. (2016) Toward a Critical Environmental Justice Studies: Black Lives Matter as an Environmental Justice Challenge. Du Bois Review: Social Science Research on Race, 13(2), 221-236.


The information on this page is indicative of the module that is currently on offer. The University is constantly exploring ways to enhance and improve its degree programmes and therefore reserves the right to make variations to the content and method of delivery of modules, and to discontinue modules, if such action is reasonably considered to be necessary by the University. Where appropriate, the University will notify and consult with affected students in advance about any changes that are required in line with the University's policy on the Approval of Modifications to Existing Taught Programmes of Study.