210168 SE M4: International Politics and Development (2020S)

This course will introduce a historical perspective to reflect upon the origins of western modern environmental consciousness as rooted back in the European imperial expansion. Through selected arguments taken from reference studies on the history of science, history of ideas and environmental history, we will revisit the original context in which the language on “climatic environmentalism” emerges and moves to centre stage in the imperial apparatus. We will look into the origins of modern climatology in 19th century Europe science politics, in the context of the Habsburg scientists of the Austrian Empire - reference book will be Coen, Deborah R. (2018) Climate in Motion. Science, Empire and the Problem of Scale. Chicago, University of Chicago Press.

The history of global environmental change over the last 500 years is inseparable from European imperialism. Over this period, the expansion of Europe across the globe has profoundly - and in many stances, irreversibly - transformed and reshaped what we call ‘nature’ (Arnold 1996). In a very fundamental dimension, this all-encompassing totality or system previously referred as ‘nature’ has been increasingly equated to ‘climate’; and the human factor as a main responsible for the disruption of the global climate system is firmly set at the center of the XXI century political and economic agendas.

An introductory historical approach is a grounded entry point to further understanding more complexes problematiques, where opaque political assumptions are embedded in the origins and history of science and its technological narratives. Dynamic climatology (or climate dynamics) is at the basis of current “global circulation models” (GCMs), corner stone in discursive power and policy shaping in climate governance. Climate models are the most authoritative elements of a science-based international climate regime, as they are able to run variables and integrate scales in a climate system analysis, projecting scenarios and mitigation/adaptation options for the future. We will explore and discuss in this context the epistemic and political critique to a truly equitable global climate governance regime - in the sense of how it could be alternatively operationalized, respecting and integrating the plurality and diversity of scales and knowledge systems.

The course will consist of introductory lectures with a survey of the key ideas/concepts/arguments of the works listed below, followed by a discussion.

The second part of our meetings will consist, tentatively, in seminar presentation, individual or in groups. This will depend on the group’s interest in chose and prepare chapters out of any of the works listed below; or, alternatively, we can all read and prepare seminar presentations on: *Coen, Deborah R. (2018) Climate in Motion. Science, Empire and the Problem of Scale. Chicago, University of Chicago Press

The reference works listed below are lengthy and go in depth into historical detail, covering a variety of topics and episodes across latitudes and timelines. Students are encouraged to browse and choose freely a chapter or theme, according to their personal interest/profile and previous knowledge/research.