97943 - Climate Change and Society: Dynamics and Actors

Learning outcomes

During the course, different sociological tools will be analyzed to critically explore how societies understand and address the climate crisis; the issue of social mobilizations related to climate change will be discussed with a critical approach, their organizational dynamics and their forms of protest, the effects of such mobilizations at the social and political level, both at national and transnational level; the identity of Kaya will also be deepened; the different trends in the determinants of CO2 emissions in advanced countries and developing countries; the role of international trade in the transfer of CO2 emissions will be discussed.

At the end of the course the student will acquire knowledge about the interaction between social dynamics and climate change, also taking into account the role of social movements and different actors of civil society, CO2 emissions determining factors.

Course contents

The course combines 3 disciplinary approaches.

The first disciplinary approach is part of the field of environmental sociology, with a particular focus on social issues that emerge and contribute to the climate crisis. The relationship between environmental issues and 1) models of development, production and consumption  sociologically; 2) urbanization and socio-spatial inequalities will be analyzed.

The second disciplinary approach focuses on the study of the link between economic growth and emissions. The module will address the following issues: (1) determining factors of emissions according to the identity of Kaya (population, GDP per capita, energy intensity of GDP, carbon intensity of energy) and their temporal evolution, with particular attention to the gap between rich and poor countries; (2) international trade and transfer of emissions between countries; (3) mitigation, adaptation and economic policy dilemmas.

Studies on social movements constitute the third disciplinary approach through which the issue of climate change is addressed in this course. Lessons in this module take into account the role of civil society actors and social movements in the fight against climate change. In particular, they will address the following issues: (1) organisational and networking dynamics with other social and political actors (experts, stakeholders, legislators); (2) the forms of protest and pressure in relation to social and political issues related to climate change; (3) the transnational dimension of the fight against climate change by civil society and social movements; (4) the consequences and results of the mobilisations on climate change.

Readings/Bibliography

Module 1 Readings (Prof.ssa Landi)

The readings indicated for Module 1 are to be considered indicative; the final bibliography will be communicated at the beginning of the lessons.

Klinenberg E., Araos M., Koslov L. (2020), Sociology and the Climate Crisis, «Annu. Rev. Sociol.» 46, pp.649-69.

Landi A. (2021), “Fragilità socio-ambientali in un'era di urbanizzazione planetaria :il ‘vivere denso’ e il ruolo dei quartieri, in Sociologia dei quartieri urbani, Milano, FrancoAngeli, pp. 133-156 (open access).

Module 2 Readings (Prof. Negroni)

The readings indicated for Module 2 are to be considered indicative; the final bibliography will be communicated at the beginning of the lessons.

Common M, Stagl S. (2005), Ecological Economics. An Introduction. Cambridge University Press, pp. 210-218, 308-315, 320-329, 493-502.

Peters G. et al. (2011). Growth in emission transfers via international trade from 1990 to 2008. Proceeding from the National Academy of Science (PNAS), 108(21), 8903-8908.

Ricke K. et al. (2018). Country-level social cost of carbon. Nature Climate Change, 8, 895-900.

Module 3 Readings (Prof.ssa Mattoni)

Fisher, D. R., & Nasrin, S. (2020). Climate activism and its effects. WIREs Climate Change, 12(1), 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1002/wcc.683

de Moor, J., De Vydt, M., Uba, K., & Wahlström, M. (2021). New kids on the block: Taking stock of the recent cycle of climate activism. Social Movement Studies, 20(5), 619–625. https://doi.org/10.1080/14742837.2020.1836617

de Moor, J. (2021). Postapocalyptic narratives in climate activism: Their place and impact in five European cities. Environmental Politics, 0(0), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1080/09644016.2021.1959123

 

Teaching methods

Lectures, group discussions and class exercises.

Assessment methods

Written paper on the topics covered during the lessons of the 3 modules.

Teaching tools

PPT, video.

Office hours

See the website of Alessandra Landi

See the website of Giorgio Giovanni Negroni

See the website of Alice Mattoni