Ecology: Issues and Controversies

This course unit addresses questions surrounding ecosystem management from the perspective of the social sciences, and more specifically “science studies.” It aims to help develop a general understanding of the relationship between ecological sciences and society, and to equip participants with the tools to analyze social issues and the underlying socioscientific controversies. The first part of the course provides the conceptual and methodological framework necessary for introducing a reflective tool for analyzing the interactions of actors and the (epistemological and axiological) arguments involved in socioscientific controversies, and illustrates this tool using current examples. Subsequently, thematic presentations by researchers in ecology highlight a variety of issues surrounding the ecological sciences and serve as a basis for students to apply and master the reflective analytical tool. Students are thus assessed on their ability to use this analytical framework to take an individual and well-reasoned position in controversies related to the ecological sciences.

  Understand and apply an analytical framework derived from the field of science studies to analyze the social issues and socioscientific controversies underlying research on ecosystems.

Basic knowledge of general ecology.

Experience in literature review.

Fluency in spoken and written communication.

Comprehensive ongoing assessment: 100%