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Environment, Resources, Security (709IR)

30 credits, Level 7 (Masters)

Spring teaching

What is the link between climate change and conflict? Can securitisation and militarisation help stop the climate crisis and mass extinction? What causes water and food scarcity? How are contemporary ecological crises related to colonialism and capitalism? Can green growth address the climate crisis? And what resources, which environment, and whose security, are we actually talking about?

These are the key questions that you will critically investigate in this module. Reflecting on major theoretical approaches, we explore empirical case studies that illustrate contemporary challenges associated with environmental security, green militarisation, and resource conflict. We critically examine the local and global causes and effects of such conflicts, and the often-assumed links between – and discourses around – climate change, conflict and migration. Environmental security issues have long played a relatively marginal role within international relations and security studies. Ultimately the module asks: is this marginalisation at all warranted?

Contact hours and workload

This module is approximately 300 hours of work. This breaks down into about 33 hours of contact time and about 267 hours of independent study. The University may make minor variations to the contact hours for operational reasons, including timetabling requirements.

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2024/25. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum.

We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.