Syllabus

Social SSM1120 –Social Dimensions of

Sustainability
Instructor: Professor Johnston
Email: [email protected]
Office Hours: M-Thu on Slack 4pm-5pm or by appointment on ZOOM

Course Technology
• The course content will be hosted on Quercus
• The lectures will take place on ZOOM

• Communication will take place over SLACK

Course Description
This course is focused on studying and understanding human-nature interactions, and
the social processes that shape and threaten the natural world. The course will focus on
the following question: how is sustainability a profoundly social challenge? Students will
be challenged to gain a better understanding of the interrelationship between social
problems and environmental problems, as well as the ways that humans themselves
are part of nature. Students will be asked to consider how social scientific insights can
inform and improve sustainability efforts. The course will cover topics such as the social
construction of nature, the political economy of environmental destruction,
environmental inequalities and injustices (including Global North-Global South
relations), corporate projects to address social sustainability (as well as critiques of
greenwashing), public engagements with environmental science, consumer politics and
green identities, the politics of climate change and environmental knowledge production,
as well as environmental activism and varied initiatives to address sustainability, such
as green jobs programs.

Learning Outcomes
By the end of this course, students should be able to:
1. Demonstrate a general knowledge and understanding of the social dimensions of
sustainability.
2. Identify and critically evaluate social causes and consequences of environmental
problems; with particular emphasis on recognizing the appropriate solution(s) that
can be applied in various settings
3. Assess the efficacy with which various actors (e.g., states, citizens, social
movements, corporations) seek to address environmental problems, and evaluate
the strengths of various approaches (e.g., market approaches, state efforts, civil
society) to promote sustainability.

Class Structure
Most classes will be structured around lecture content interspersed with classroom
discussion and in-class exercises. You are expected to regularly attend class and
engage in class discussion. In class discussions, you should listen to the instructor as
well as your classmates. Each week, the class will include student-led introduction to
the readings, followed by a group discussion of the topic.
The emphasis of this class on learning through careful reading, reflection, writing and
classroom dialogue.

Required Texts
There are two required texts for this course, in addition to research articles (which you
are responsible for locating through the U of T library system).

1. An Invitation to Environmental Sociology, by Michael Bell, Loka Ahswood, Isaac

Sohn Leslie and Laura Hanson Schlachter. Sixth Edition. 2020. Sage. This book is
available through the UTM bookstore (Links to an external site.), and it is also
available electronically through Vitalsource (Links to an external site.) (and other e-
reader services).

Link to textbook at UTM bookstore (Links to an external site.):

https://www.campusebookstore.com/integration/AccessCodes/default.aspx?bookseller_i
d=96&Course=UTM+2021A+SOC304H5S+EBOOK+180DAYS&frame=YES&t=permali
nk (Links to an external site.)

2. MacKendrick, Norah. 2018. Better Safe than Sorry: How Consumers Navigate
Exposure to Everyday Toxics. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. Available
at U of T bookstore (Links to an external site.) & available through the library as an
e-bookLinks to an external site.
Evaluation
Component % Due date

Integrated case competition 10 tbd

Topic Introduction 10 One per semester

Participation 15 Weekly

Quercus comprehension quiz 10 Feb 26

Reflection paper Phase 1 (RP1) 5 Feb 5

Reflection paper Phase 2 (RP2) 5 March 5

Reflection paper Phase 3 (RP3) 25 April 9

“Convince me” Pitch 20 April 12

*Evaluation elements are described below.

Course Schedule
Week 1. Introduction to Class
Date: January 15
Reading:

• Syllabus

To do:

• Class meets for introductions, to discuss syllabus, and decide on schedule for
upcoming topic introductions.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS
Week 2. Environmental problems and the social
construction of nature
Date: January 22
Readings:

• Bell et al.,: Chapters 1 and 9

• Pellow, D. N., & Nyseth Brehm, H. (2013). An environmental sociology for the
twenty-first century. Annual Review of SociologyLinks to an external site., 39, 229-
250.

Brief introduction to Jonathan Vroom, Robert Gillespie Academic Skills Center

Week 3. The material dimension of environmental

problems: Consumption, markets, capitalism
Date: January 29
Readings:

• Bell et al., Chapters 3 and 4

• York, Richard. 2017. “Why Petroleum Did Not Save the Whales.” Socius:
Sociological Research for a Dynamic WorldLinks to an external site. 3:
237802311773921. https://doi.org/10.1177/2378023117739217.

Week 4. The cultural dimension of environmental

problems: Why ideology matters
Date: Feb 5
Readings:

• Bell et al., Chapters 7 and 8

• M. Bacon. 2020. Dangerous pipelines, dangerous people: colonial ecological
violence and media framing of threat in the Dakota access pipeline
conflict, Environmental Sociology,Links to an external site. 6:2, 143-153, DOI:
10.1080/23251042.2019.1706262 https://www-tandfonline-
com.myaccess.library.utoronto.ca/loi/rens20Links to an external site.
• Recommended:
 o Podcast (35 minutes): Media Indigena, with Rick Harp, interviewing David
Suzuki: https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast/media-indigena-indigenous-
current-affairs/id1092220986?i=1000503441650 (Links to an external site.)

Submit:

• RP1 (by 11:59pm)

Week 5. Environmental Injustices: Health and the

“invironment”
Date: Feb 12
Readings:

• Bell et al., Chapter 2

• Debra J. Davidson. 2018. Evaluating the effects of living with contamination from the
lens of trauma: a case study of fracking development in Alberta,
Canada, Environmental Sociology,Links to an external site. 4:2, 196-209, DOI:
10.1080/23251042.2017.1349638 https://doi.org/10.1080/23251042.2017.1349638 (
Links to an external site.)
• Auyero, J., & Swistun, D. (2007). Amidst garbage and poison: an essay on
pollutedLinks to an external site.

peoples and places. Contexts, 6(2), 46-51.Links to an external site.

Week 6. Quercus Comprehension Quiz / Writing

Workshop with Jonathan Vroom
Date: February 26
10:10 – 11:10 Quercus quiz
11:15 – 12:15 Jonathan Vroom writing workshop

RISK SOCIETY
Week 7. Risk and Technology
Date: March 5
Readings:
• Bell et al., Chapter 5
• MacKendrick: Chapter 1
• Kristiansen, Silje. 2017. “Characteristics of the Mass Media’s Coverage of Nuclear
Energy and Its Risk: A Literature Review.” Sociology CompassLinks to an external
site. 11 (7): 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1111/soc4.12490.

Submit:

• RP2 (due 11:59pm)

Week 8. Protecting bodies in risk society

Date: March 12
Readings:

• MacKendrick: Chapters 3 & 5

• Wakefield-Rann, Rachael, Dena Fam, and Susan Stewart. 2018. “Routine
Exposure: Social Practices and Environmental Health Risks in the Home.” Social
Theory & Health (Links to an external site.), no. 0123456789.
https://doi.org/10.1057/s41285-018-00084-8.

Finding Solutions to Environmental Problems

INTEGRATED CASE COMPETITION: MARCH 18TH

Week 9. Solutions: Democracy and the State

Date: March 19
Readings:

• Bell et al., Chapter 11

• MacKendrick: Chapter 2
• Mol, Arthur. 2018. “The Environmental State and Environmental Governance”,
In Boström, D. J. Davidson (eds.), Environment and Society, Palgrave Studies in
Environmental Sociology and Policy, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-76415-
3_ (Links to an external site.). Book available as an e-book in the U of T library.
Week 10. Market solutions: Green Consumerism
Date: March 26
Readings:

• MacKendrick: Chapter 4 and 6 and 7

• Huddart, Emily Kennedy and Darcy Hauslik. “The Practice of Green
Consumption,” In Boström, D. J. Davidson (eds.), Environment and Society,
Palgrave Studies in Environmental Sociology and
Policy, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-76415-3_ (Links to an external site.). Book
available as an e-book in the U of T library.

Week 11. Solidarity and Collective Solutions

Date: April 9
Readings:

• Bell et al., Chapters 10 & 12

• Fischer, Frank. 2018. “Environmental Democracy: Participation, Deliberation and
Citizenship.” In Boström, D. J. Davidson (eds.), Environment and Society, pp. 257-
79. Palgrave Studies in Environmental Sociology and
Policy, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-76415-3_ (Links to an external site.). Book
available as an e-book in the U of T library.

Submit:

• RP3 (due 11:59pm)

Week 12. Convince Me Pitch Presentations (OPTIONAL)

Date: MONDAY April 12 (make-up class)
ZOOM link for EXTRA Monday class date:
https://utoronto.zoom.us/j/83901731207 (Links to an external site.)

Course Components

1. Topic Introduction
On one occasion, you will give a short presentation (5-10 minutes) to introduce the
readings to your peers.
You should connect with other students presenting on the same day so you can
organize divide up the readings and decide how to organize and divide up the content.

Substance of presentation
These presentations are not intended to be onerous research projects. Instead, think of
it as an opportunity to gain experience introducing complex topics, writing concise oral
overviews, generating discussion question, and communicating academic ideas in a
clear, accessible way. Student presentations can include a small amount of summary to
refresh the collective memory of the class, but in general, presenters should assume
that the class members have done the readings. Remember that a key goal of a class
presentation is to energize class discussion. (For that reason, always try to avoid too
much repetition, rambling, and monotone reading from a paper.)

When it comes to organizing the presentation, you have some creative license. Your
presentation strategy will depend on your presentation style and skill-set. I recommend
including the following: brief summary; methodological issues; key substantive points;
connections to other course concepts/readings; questions for discussion.

Above all, you should come to class prepared to answer the question, “why does this
topic matter?”. I encourage you to come class with a cultural artifact (e.g., an
advertisement, video-clip, new story, consumer product), if you are inspired to do so.
This is not required but can be a useful way to introduce the relevance of the topic.

Grading Criteria
Your presentation will be graded on 1) comprehension of the reading(s); 2) sociological
imagination; 3) presentation style (e.g., eloquence, timing, clarity).

2. Participation
Participation in the seminar is valued at 15%. Students are expected to come to class
having done the readings and participate actively in class discussions.

If you find classroom discussions a challenge for some reason, please speak with me at
the beginning of the semester. If you must miss a class, please inform my beforehand.
Unexcused absences and not engaging in classroom discussions will negatively impact
your participation grade.

3. Quercus Comprehension Quiz

On February 26th, there will be a short comprehension quiz posted on QUERCUS/Quiz.
The quiz will appear between 10:10 and 11:10am. It will consist of approximately 45
short questions (e.g., multiple choice, fill in the blank, true-false). It is an open-book
quiz. There will not be a lot of time to search for answers in the readings, so I
recommend you take notes as you do the readings to prepare for each seminar.

4. Reflection Paper (RP1) (Phases 1, 2, and 3)

In this course, we will learn sociological concepts that help you to think critically about
the environment. Early on in the semester, you will pick a consumption case-study
(meat, fashion, or cellphones), and write about this case in three phrases.

RP1 (Phase 1): Identify PROBLEM (300-500 words, 1-2 pages).

RP2 (Phase 2): Focus on SOLUTIONS (300-500 words, 1-2 pages).
RP3 (Phase 3): Write the full essay (4000 words / approx. 15 pages).

Full details of this assignment are posted on QUERCUS.

Writing Office Hours for RP 1, 2, and 3

To help you construct the best possible RP, Jonathan Vroom at the Robert Gillespie
Academic Skills Center will hold specialized writing office hours to help you with your
reflection paper. He is familiar with the design and the requirements of this assignment.

Please make note of Jonathan Vroom’s writing office hours:

RP1:
Wed Feb 3, 12:00-2:00
RP2:
Wed Feb 3, 10:00-12:00
RP3:
Mon Apr 5, 12:00-2:00
Wed Apr 7, 10:00-12:00

5. Convince Me Pitch
A pressing issue for environmental sociology – and environmentalism more generally –
is how do we fix the mess that humanity finds itself in. How do we protect our fragile
environmental home? Your “convince me” pitch should be focused on 1 particular
solution for environmental protection. You can make your pitch solo, or with 1 or 2 fellow
students. Your presentation can involve props, original video content, music, or a skit.
This is an opportunity to be creative.

FORMAT:
Your “convince me pitch” can take 3 forms:

1. An infographic. There are online sources (Links to an external site.)that help you
design a visually creative infographic.
2. Short video (less than 5 minutes) that can also be posted on YouTube, TikTok, or U
of T’s site MY MEDIALinks to an external site..
3. A slide show formatted with audio voiceover and automatic transitions (less
than 5 minutes). If you choose a slide show, it must be formatted as a video (Links
to an external site.) that can be watched without having to click through each slide.

Sharing your pitch with the class:

We will collectively review the “pitches” on the last day of class (Monday April 12th). (We
may opt to do the review process online using Quercus Discussion board. We will
discuss this option as a class.)

You must also submit your pitch on Quercus/Assignments for grading. You can submit
your pitch at any time throughout the term. The last day to submit is on our last class.

You should also submit a reference list to accompany your submission so that we
know that your pitch is backed up with credible claims and evidence.