Problemáticas de Ecologia Humana (not translated) - 2nd semester
Objectives
It is intended that students acquire autonomous and critical thinking skills to analyze the problems that contemporary society faces as well as sensitivity to the diversity of readings.
The aim is to prepare students to work in complex contexts in a perspective of problem solving strongly supported by a critical reflection emphasizing hands-on attitude.
It aims to assess if the student demonstrate ability to apply the conceptual basis to the \"real world.\"
It is expected that students acquire and/or develop ability to:
a) mobilize the knowledge acquired to propose solutions for contemporary social problems;
b) value an interdisciplinary perspective in the understanding of those problems;
c) develop applied studies in human ecology involving the exploration of different methodologies applied to a case study in a simulated and/or real environment using social data and environmental conditions;
d) further develop their scientific research project
General characterization
Code
73220101
Credits
10
Responsible teacher
Docente a definir
Hours
Weekly - 2
Total - Available soon
Teaching language
Portuguese
Prerequisites
n.a.
Bibliography
Australia Government (2007) Tackling Wicked Problems. A Public Policy Perspective. Commonwealth of Australia.
Bates, D; Tucker, J. (Ed) (2010). Human Ecology, Contemporary Research and Practice. Springer.
Borden, R. (2014). Ecology and Experience. California: North Atlantic Books.
Cook, E; Lara, J. (Ed.) (2012) Remaking Metropolis: Global Challenges of the Urban Landscape. USA: Routledge.
Dyball, R & Newell, B (2015). Understanding Human Ecology: A systems approach to sustainability. Oxon:, Routledge.
Chevalier,J; Buckles, D. (2013) Participatory Action Research: Theory and Methods for Engaged Inquiry, Routlege.
Lawson, H; Caringi, J; Pyles, L; Jurkowski, J; Bozlak, C. (2015) Participatory Action Research, Oxford University Press.
Mauch, C; Pfister, C. (2009) Natural Disasters, Cultural Responses: Case Studies toward a Global, Lexington Books.
Pires, Iva M; Gibert, Morgane; Hens, Luc (eds) (2010). Studies in Human Ecology. Ha Noi: Publishing House for Science and Technology.
Teaching method
In the first part classes will be theoretical-practical with the presentation and discussion of the proposed topics in which students are encouraged to actively participate. Approaches at different spatial (local, regional, national, global) and time scales will be favored.
In the second part students will be stimulated to understand the world and to try to change it, resorting to the analysis/interpretation of a real case study using PAR methodologies, namely collective inquiry and experimentation in the field strongly supported in social history to extract lessons learned. The classes will turn into active collective space of debate of ideas and proposals encouraging critical constructive reflection.
Evaluation method
Elaboration of an essay to be written throughout the term, exposing the problem, the methodologies used, possible solutions and lessons learned (80% of the final grade) and its oral presentation and debate in the classroom (20% of the final grade).
Subject matter
This course is organized in two parts. The first one, organized in thematic sections distributed by the teachers according to their areas of research, are focused on the different types of problems to which, due to their complexity and the need for an integrated approach Human Ecology can respond: \"crises\" (environmental, social, cultural) and possible ways to overcome them; urban ecology and the problems related to large cities; patterns of production and consumption; risks and desertification.
The second part (hands-on seminar) introduces a method for researchers oriented to co-create solutions with people and for the people. Participatory Action Research (PAR) is an approach to research that emphasizes participation and action, offering an alternative to traditional methods that have limitations when applied to complex contexts, thus helping to shape possible ways of acting to solve problems.