Fall 2020  |  PA 5711 Section 001: Science, Technology & Environmental Policy (20663)

Instructor(s)
Class Component:
Lecture
Credits:
3 Credits
Grading Basis:
Student Option
Instructor Consent:
No Special Consent Required
Instruction Mode:
Completely Online
Class Attributes:
Online Course
Enrollment Requirements:
Graduate Student
Times and Locations:
Regular Academic Session
 
09/08/2020 - 12/16/2020
Tue, Thu 04:00PM - 05:15PM
Off Campus
UMN REMOTE
Enrollment Status:
Open (24 of 30 seats filled)
Also Offered:
Course Catalog Description:
Interplay of science, technology, the environment, and society. Approaches from across the social sciences will cover how science and technology can create new environmental pressures as well as policy challenges in a range of spheres from climate change to systems of intellectual property and international development.
Class Notes:
PA 5711 will be offered REMOTELY. Class will meet synchronously-online during Fall 2020, Tues/Thurs, 4:00-5:15. The instructor will be a new HHH faculty member, Elise Harrington. http://classinfo.umn.edu/?eliseh+PA5711+Fall2020
Class Description:
This course will investigate, from a variety of perspectives, the ways in which human society is transforming (and being transformed by) science, technology, and the environment. Drawing on ideas from a wide spectrum of the social sciences, this course will prepare students to grapple with contemporary policy issues in arenas such as systems for intellectual property, global climate change, public health, technology for development, the science and engineering workforce, innovation, and regulation of emerging technologies. Special emphasis will be given to policies at the intersection of science, technology, and the environment. No student is expected to have a sophisticated understanding of the full range of disciplinary perspectives and topical issues we will explore; all of us will bring some relevant experience, expertise, or perspective to the table, and to integrate it with that of their classmates through discussion and teamwork. The focus of the course is public policy in the United States, but several class sessions will cover issues related to globalization and international development.
Grading:
Grading for this course will have four major components. The first component is participation, which will be evaluated based on your participation in classroom discussions, role as reading discussant, and participation in class debates and cases (debates and cases also include a reflection component). Second is a policy memo on R&D policy due on October 6. Third is a policy memo on environmental regulation due on October 22. Finally, you will complete an individual final project. Evaluation of the final project will be based on a written paper, policy memo, oral presentation to the class, and your thoughtfulness as a discussant of one of your peer's project.

The breakdown of final grades will be as follows: Policy Memo 1 (10%), Policy Memo 2 (10%), Final Project (40%), Case/Debate (25%), Participation & Reading Discussant (15%)
Exam Format:
No Exams
Class Format:
For Fall 2020, this course meets synchronously twice per week (from 4:00-5:15pm) on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Generally, Tuesdays will focus on readings and Thursdays will focus on a case or debate.
Broadly, we will spend the first four weeks focused on science and technology policy (with some examples drawn from the environmental sphere). The next four weeks will focus on environmental policy (with some examples and connections drawn to science and technology issues). The final four weeks examine cross-cutting issues across science, technology, and environmental policy, which will include student presentations on a cross-cutting topic of choice.
Textbooks:
https://bookstores.umn.edu/course-lookup/20663/1209
Instructor Supplied Information Last Updated:
31 July 2020

ClassInfo Links - Fall 2020 Public Affairs Classes Taught by Elise Harrington

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