Section: Home

Units

QUT Course Structure
Eco Crime

Unit code: JSB255
Credit points: 12
Information about fees and unit costs

Availability
Semester Available
2012 Semester 1 Yes

Sample subject outline - Semester 1 2012

Note: Subject outlines often change before the semester begins. Below is a sample outline.

Rationale

Issues pertaining to the protection of the environment continue to capture centre stage in the development of both national and international policy. The balance between 'developing' and 'harming' the environment is one often constructed in political and social discourses about trade, resources and rights. Illegal and harmful acts that damage and destroy the environment are crucial for understanding government policies of prevention, precaution, and regulation.

This unit prepares future professionals from a range of disciplines who will work in an environmental capacity, schooling them in particular in theories of green criminology and environmental harm.

Aims

The aim of this unit is to provide students with an understanding of the ways in which human activity is impacting upon the environment. More specifically, the unit aims:

  • To explore concepts of eco crime and its relationship to transnational harm;

  • To critique the ways states and corporations exploit and damage the environment;

  • To analyse the role of law and social movements in precenting eco crime and protecting the environment;

  • To investigate notions of environmental, ecological and species justice;

  • To examine emerging discourses in green criminology

    Students will gain a detailed knowledge of the global and national environmental harms attributed to states and corporation and the underlying social, political and economic contexts of environmental harms. Students should leave the unit with a good working knowledge of the key challenges they will face should they work as policy makers, practitioners, regulators or legal officers in areas of environmental development and sustainability

    Objectives

    On completion of this unit, students will be able to:

  • Understand the origin and extent of the current estimation of human-related environmental harm and the social, political, criminological and legal explanations that have been advanced for those harms. This demonstrates the graduate attributes of content knowledge and social justice orientation
  • Recognise and articulate the more specific environmental harms of concern nationally and internationally and be able to critically explore them using green criminological perspectives. This demonstrates the graduate attributes of critical awareness, content knowledge and communication
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the relevant theories that have developed in green criminology, in law and in political theory, to explain ecological, environmental and species justice. This demonstrates the graduate attributes of multidisciplinary, ethical knowledge, and critical awareness
  • Critically assess and articulate a range of local, national and international efforts aimed at acknowledging, preventing, punishing and remedying environmental impact, harm and degradation. This demonstrates the graduate attributes of critical thinking, problem solving, & clarity of communication.

    Content

    The major topics to be covered in this course include, but are not restricted to, the following topics:
    (1) Defining eco crime and environmental harm;
    (2) Transnational eco crime and environmental law;
    (3) Theories and perspectives in green criminology;
    (4) Environmental; Ecological and Species Justice;
    (5) Eco crime and global commons - (4 weeks on Natural Resources, Water, Air, Food; Week 5 will commence with Natural Resources and biodiversity)
    (6) Water
    (7) Air
    (8) Food
    (9) Species crime and animal rights
    (10) Environmental policing and regulation
    (11) Environmental movements, protest and resistance

    Throughout the course, the key graduate attributes identified above will be met through the content delivery, learning activities and assessment.

    Approaches to Teaching and Learning

    This unit will be offered to both internal and external students.

    Internal mode delivery is via a 2-hour lecture. External mode delivery is via the lecture podcast, with weekly discussion forums available, of which participation will be part of the assessment. The lecture will introduce students to the theory, context and information for each topic. Assessment items will provide students with an opportunity to develop key skills that will be required for those pursuing a career in this field.

    Assessment

    The assessment for this unit is both formative (students will be provided with either written or verbal feedback for written assignments) and summative (each piece of assessment will receive a mark that will contribute to the final grade)Students will be provided with written feedback for all assessment items (with the exception of the final exam).

    Assessment name: Research Proposal
    Description: Word length: 500 words. Students will be required to identify a topic of their own choosing drawing on materials presented in the course. A range of potential topics, and guidance on writing a research proposal, will be provided to the students. In addition, two special online forums will be devoted to choosing and developing a topic. The assessment will consist of a research proposal that will be developed into a research essay (assessment item 2). It will be expected that each student provide a working title; aims; description of the topic and its importance; literature they have engaged with; possible theoretics and perspectives to be integrated into the analyses.
    Relates to objectives: This item relates to learning outcomes 2, 3 and 4.
    Weight: 10%
    Internal or external: Both
    Group or individual: Individual
    Due date: Week 5

    Assessment name: Research Paper
    Description: Students will submit a research essay that will expand upon their proposal. It will consist of a 2000 word assignment and provide a critical analysis of a student-chosen topic related to the course.
    Relates to objectives: This item relates to learning outcomes 1-4.
    Weight: 40%
    Internal or external: Both
    Group or individual: Individual
    Due date: Week 12

    Assessment name: Examination (written)
    Description: Students will undertake a final closed-book exam and will be required to write two short essays on the key topics covered throughout the semester in the course.
    Relates to objectives: This item relates to learning outcomes 1-4.
    Weight: 50%
    Internal or external: Both
    Group or individual: Individual
    Due date: Central Exam Period

    Academic Honesty

    Academic honesty means that you are expected to exhibit honesty and act responsibly when undertaking assessment. Any action or practice on your part which would defeat the purposes of assessment is regarded as academic dishonesty. The penalties for academic dishonesty are provided in the Student Rules. For more information you should consult the QUT Library resources for avoiding plagiarism.

    Resource materials

    Recommended Reading:
    Walters, R. (2010) 'Eco Crime', in Muncie, J., Talbot, D. And Walters, R. (eds) Crime:Local and Global. Willan:Devon.

    White, R. (2009) (ed) Environmental Crime - A Reader. Devon:Willan.

    White, Rob, (2008) Crimes Against Nature: Environmental Criminology & Ecological Justice. Devon: Willan Publishing.

    Beirne, P. And South, N. (2007) (eds) Issues in Green Criminology ¿ Confronting harms against environments, humanity and other animals. Devon:Willan.

    Walters, R. (2010) Eco Crime and Genetically Modified Food. London:Routledge.

    White, R. (ed.)(2010) Global Environmental Harm: Criminological Perspectives. Devon: Willan Publishing.

    Selected on-line resources

    www.wilderness.org.au/
    Wilderness Society - A community-based environmental advocacy organisation whose mission is protecting, promoting and restoring wilderness and natural processes across Australia for the survival and ongoing evolution of life on Earth

    www.slapps.org/
    The SLAPP Resource Centre - A non-profit organization that serves as a resource to citizens, legislators, the media, lawyers, and the academic community on Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation ('SLAPPs').

    www.eea.eu.int/
    European Environment Agency - Provides information and reports for improving Europe's environment.

    www.ejfoundation.org/
    Environmental Justice Foundation - This organisation is dedicated to protecting the natural environment and the people and wildlife that depend upon it by linking environmental security, human rights and social need.

    www.e-b-i.net/ebi/about_us.html
    Environmental Bureau of Investigation - A Canadian-based community group committed to the investigation and prosecuting of environmental offenders and to the protection of public resources through the application and enforcement of environmental laws

    www.epa.gov
    US Environmental Protection Agency - Provides detailed reports on the environmental crimes and regulatory activities of this agency

    www.cas.usf.edu/criminology/ccjcorpcrime.htm
    University of Southern Florida - Provides links to the major agencies in the USA responsible for corporate behaviour in a number of fields, including the environment, occupational health and safety, consumer protection, and food and health

    www.corpwatch.org
    Corpwatch - has links to various reports and documents on corporate crime in the USA and overseas, including environmental crimes.

    top
    Risk assessment statement

    There are no out of the ordinary risks associated with this unit.

    Disclaimer - Offer of some units is subject to viability, and information in these Unit Outlines is subject to change prior to commencement of semester.

    Last modified: 23-Feb-2012