This course is an introduction to environmental politics for students of international relations. This course aims to enhance students' understanding of how international politics may affect environmental outcomes. The course has four modules: a) Introduction, b) IR theories and the environment, c) Application to select environmental issues, d) Policy implications. The introductory module presents several concepts that are important to understanding environmental cooperation. The IR theory module introduces canonical IR theoretical frameworks. Primarily, this module investigates how states' power dynamics, international institutions, domestic political systems, and NGO networks may explain the likelihood of international cooperation on environmental issues. The third module applies the theoretical concepts to real-world policy issues such as climate change, water air pollution, and endangered species. The final module focuses on the future of environmental cooperation among states. Assignments include an in-class quiz on key concepts, a role-based negotiation simulation, a podcast episode analyzing an environmental agreement of student choice, and a final exam. By the end of the semester, students think critically about environmental agreements by applying theories to policy examples. |