Geographies of a Green Transformation for Climate Resilience

Postgraduate course

Course description

Objectives and Content

This course in human geography addresses the concepts, theories and discourses of the green transformation. It situates green transformation-related challenges and solutions, including circular economy, green consumerism, and low-carbon energy production, within the context of a highly unequal and rapidly changing world. The course demonstrates how dynamic political, economic, and technological contexts can amplify environmental injustices yet also present opportunities for transformative responses.

The course has two parts. The first part has a particular emphasis on the diversity of ideas, actors and processes related to differing approaches to to green transformation amid global climate change (e.g., low-carbon energy production) environmental degradation and societal challenges. The geographical focus is on communities, cities and regions, as well as on how individuals, firms and institutions are interlinked and affected. In a second part, students will engage with theoretical and empirical examples to articulate a more critical understanding of the limits of green transformation strategies. The topics and discussions throughout the semester should help students identify the kinds of research questions, methods, and analytic strategies pursued by various social science perspectives in green transformation research, which might be helpful in their studies.

This course is based on active student participation and draws from academic literature on Norway as well as other countries and includes some of the ongoing research in the field.

Learning Outcomes

A student who has completed the course should have the following learning outcomes: 

Knowledge

The student

  • has thorough insight about core concepts and theoretical discussion regarding differing approaches to the green transformation.

Skills

The student

  • is capable to plan and give a presentation on a specified research question including theory and empirical evidence from secondary sources linked to the main topic of the course.

General competence

The student

  • has thorough insight to understand the conditions, processes and effects regarding the geographies of globalization and the green transformation.
  • can present and discuss research questions in relation to institutions, governance, planning, sustainability, and policy measures.

ECTS Credits

10 ECTS

Level of Study

Master

Semester of Instruction

Spring
Required Previous Knowledge
GEO222 or GEO282, or equivalent.
Recommended Previous Knowledge
Bachelor in Geography
Credit Reduction due to Course Overlap
  • GEO321 (5 ECTS)
  • GEO331 (5 ECTS)
  • Access to the Course

    Open for students at Master's level who meets the prerequisites at the following study programmes: .

    MASV-GEOG Masterprogram i geografi

    MASV-MEHA Master's Programme in Geographies of Sustainable Development

    INTL-SV/PSYK/MN/MED/JUS/HF/KMD International students at all UiB faculties

    Interested students from other programmes at UiB should contact the Department of Geography (Studieveileder.geog@uib.no).

    Teaching and learning methods
  • 8 à 3 hours lectures/seminars.
  • Compulsory Assignments and Attendance
  • Attendance and participation in lectures/seminars (minimum 80%).
  • Presentation of selected scientific litterature.
  • Compulsory requirements are only valid for the semester in which they are fulfilled and accepted.

    Forms of Assessment

    Term paper.

    The exam will be given in the language in which the course is taught.

    The exam can be submitted in English, Norwegian, Swedish or Danish

    Grading Scale
    Grading A-F
    Assessment Semester

    Assessment in teaching semester.

    Students with valid absence as defined in the UiB regulations § 5-5 can apply for an extended submission deadline to studieveileder.geog@uib.no. The application must be submitted before the deadline for submission has expired.

    Reading List
    The reading list will be ready before 1 July for the autumn semester and 1 Decemeber for the spring semester.
    Course Evaluation
    All courses are evaluated according to UiB's system for quality assurance of education.
    Programme Committee
    The Programme Committee is responsible for the content, structure and quality of the study programme and courses. 
    Course Administrator
    The Department of Geography at the Faculty of Social Sciences has the administrative responsibility for the course and the study programme.