Climate Change and Global Politics
Freestanding course
About the course
This course introduces you to the history and development of climate politics. It also offers the chance to study and discuss how climate change affects people's lives and livelihoods in a global perspective.
You will discuss and analyse the central actors and institutions in the global climate regime, such as the UN or EU, and explore crucial political agreements and difficulties. During the course, you will also look at keyissues such as migration, mobility, conflict and urbanization. With theoretical and conceptual tools, you will develop an understanding of climate justice and the intersectional nature of climate change resulting in unequal effects on different regions and different groups in society.
Course content
Module 1 (15 credits): Climate Governance: Decision-Making, Diplomacy and Institutions
The first module covers the history and development of climate politics in the global arena. We discuss and analyse the central actors and institutions in the global climate regime, e.g., the UN or the EU, as well as exploring crucial political agreements and difficulties with the help of theoretical literature. These are contextualised by the fundamental questions of who decides, who is affected, and where historical responsibility lies - why we are in the situation we are in. We also consider the challenges and processes of climate governance as a core element of contemporary foreign policy and diplomatic negotiations.
Module 2 (15 credits): Climate Security and Local Experiences
The module will focus on the uneven effects of climate change on people’s livelihoods from a global perspective. Attention will be paid to issues of migration and mobility, conflict and urbanization. With the help of theoretical and conceptual tools the students will develop an understanding of climate justice and the intersectional nature of climate change, e.g., the unequal effects on different regions and different groups in society. The module’s explicit focus is on the empirical dimension of the effects of climate change on the local level. Selected different cases illustrating the uneven effects of climate changes will be explored as well as local responses to it.
Syllabus and course literature
You can find a list of literature in the syllabus, along with other details about the course.
Entry requirements and selection
Entry requirements
30 credits from completed courses and English 6
Selection
University credits completed 100%
Course evaluation
Malmö University provides students who participate in, or who have completed a course, with the opportunity to express their opinions and describe their experiences of the course by completing a course evaluation administered by the University. The University will compile and summarise the results of course evaluations. The University will also inform participants of the results and any decisions relating to measures taken in response to the course evaluations. The results will be made available to the students (HF 1:14).
