Ecology: Issues and controversies

This course approaches the issues surrounding ecosystem management from a social science perspective, with a particular focus on science studies. It aims to help develop a general understanding of the relationship between ecological sciences and society, and to equip participants to analyze the social issues and underlying socio-scientific controversies. The first part of the course provides a conceptual and methodological framework for the presentation of a reflexive tool for analyzing the interplay of actors and arguments (epistemological, axiological) involved in socio-scientific controversies, and illustrates this tool using current examples. Thematic presentations by ecology researchers illustrate a variety of issues surrounding the ecological sciences, and serve as the basis for students' application and acquisition of the reflexive analysis tool. Students are assessed on their ability to mobilize this analytical framework to position themselves individually and argumentatively in ecological science controversies.

  Know and apply an analytical framework derived from science studies to analyze the social issues and socio-scientific controversies underlying research on ecosystems.

Basic knowledge of general ecology.

Experience in bibliographic research.

Fluency in oral and written expression.

100% continuous assessment