PD:Sociologia Mediambiental

Teaching plan for the course unit

(Short version)

Català

Castellano

English

General information

Course unit name: Environmental Sociology

Course unit code: 360925

Academic year: 2025-2026

Coordinator: Marc Pradel Miquel

Department: Department of Sociology

Credits: 6

Single program: S

Estimated learning time

Total number of hours 150

Face-to-face and/or online activities

	- Lecture with practical component	Face-to-face		45
	- Group tutorial	Face-to-face		15

Supervised project

Independent learning

Learning objectives

Referring to knowledge

Understand the environmental impacts the Earth has to face and consider the possible creation of a society of sufficiency based on planetary boundaries and available natural resources.
Analyse the main lines of thinking in relation to environmentalism and the economy, including responses oriented towards a green economy, ecoeconomy, or ecofeminism.
Understand how sociology has approached the relationship between humanity and its ecosystems, and the emergence of environmentalism.

Referring to abilities, skills

Investigate initiatives transitioning towards a post-carbon and ecofeminist society, demonstrating a shift in perspective towards the interdependence of social and natural systems.
Reconceptualise the relationship between contemporary society and nature. Develop an awareness of the pressure of global society on the environment.

Referring to attitudes, values and norms

Observe the decline of ecosystems and critically recognise the social impacts of climate change on communities and populations.

Teaching blocks

1. Sociological theory and the environment

2. Ecological crisis and social responses

* This block examines various approaches to addressing the ecological crisis employing different conceptual frameworks, focusing on three central areas of ecological transition: energy, food systems and raw materials.

2.1. Conceptualizing the ecological crisis

The nine planetary boundaries
Quantifying the value of nature: ecosystem services
Nature as a rights-bearing entity
Social transformation as a core axis of ecological transition: ecological justice

2.2. Metabolic flows: food, energy and raw materials

The industrial food system
The energy model and the difficulties in changing the model
Extractivism and its social consequences

3. Societies in transition

3.1. Tools for environmental analysis

Ecological footprint and ecological backpack
Ecosystem services
Other methods for measuring environmental impact

3.2. Ecoeconomy, green economy and consumption

Consumption and the structure of the ecoeconomy
The green economy
Common-pool resources

3.3. Urban sustainability

Urban planning and sustainability: production of space, nature and sustainability
Environmental justice and urban sustainability movements
Transformation of mobility, energy systems and local economies

3.4. Ecofeminist perspective

Conceptual bases and fundamental principles
Ecofeminism as a response to the global ecological crisis
Diversity of ecofeminist approaches
Selected responses from ecofeminists

Official assessment of learning outcomes

Continuous assessment

Student performance is evaluated based on:

— Tests (50%).

— Tasks: reading summaries, exercises, supervised assignments, and in-class presentations (45%).

— Training tasks, as well as class attendance and participation (5%).

The number of tests and the content of practical exercises and assignments are specified in detail in the course programme, which is explained and shared on the Virtual Campus at the start of the course. To pass the course, students must successfully complete both the tests and the practical exercises.

For resits, students must contact the course instructor and follow the instructions provided in the course programme, available on the Virtual Campus.

Examination-based assessment

A student is considered to have opted for single assessment if they do not take the final continuous assessment test. The student must then contact the course instructor to receive instructions on the single mode of assessment, which is made publicly available on the Virtual Campus.

For resits, students must contact the course instructor and follow the instructions provided in the course programme, available on the Virtual Campus.

Reading and study resources

Check availability in Cercabib

Book

MOORE, J. W. (2020) El capitalismo en la trama de la vida. Ecología y acumulación de capital. Traficantes de Sueños: Madrid. Descarregable a https://traficantes.net/libros/el-capitalismo-en-la-trama-de-la-vida

SANTIAGO, E. (2023) Contra el mito del colapso ecológico. Arpa: Barcelona

SMITH, N. (2020) Desarrollo desigual. Naturaleza, capital y la producción del espacio. Madrid: Traficantes de Sueño. Descarregable a https://traficantes.net/libros/desarrollo-desigual

Catàleg UB

MARTINEZ-ALIER, J. (1992) De la economía ecológica al ecologismo popular. Barcelona: Icaria

Catàleg UB

SACHS, W. ; SANTARIUS, T. (eds.). Un Futuro justo : recursos limitados y justicia global. Barcelona : Icaria : Intermón Oxfam, 2007

Catàleg UB

SEMPERE, J. (2008) Mejor con menos: necesidades, explosión consumista y crisis ecológica Barcelona: Noema

Catàleg UB

SEMPERE, J. (2018) Las cenizas de Prometeo: Transición energética y socialismo Barcelona: Ediciones de Pasado y Presente

Catàleg UB

Article

COOK, I.; , I SWYNGEDOUW, E. (2012) ’Cities, Social Cohesion and the environment: Towards a Future Research Agenda’ Urban Studies, vol. 49, n. 9 pp.1959-1979

HERRERO, Y. (2015). Apuntes introductorios sobre el Ecofeminismo. Boletín de recursos de información, nº43. Disponible a: https://bit.ly/3znuvWD

Herrero, Y. (2013) Pautas ecofeministas para repensar el mundo. BOLETINECOS. Disponible a: https://bit.ly/3xiMETB

HERRERO, Y. (2013). Miradas ecofeministas para transitar a un mundo justo y sostenible. Revista de Economía Crítica, 16: 278-307.