GPP 591C: Lind Initiative Seminar (3 credits)
Date of Posting: January 10, 2019
Period of Employment: Term 2 (January 1 – April 30, 2019)
Hours: 96 hours for the period of employment
Instructor: Dr. Justin Alger and Dr. Taylor Owen
Class: Tuesday 3:00 – 5:00pm
Location: Liu Institute for Global Issues, Room 316
Current Salary: Graduate Teaching Assistant I (Doctoral) or equivalent – $32.53/hour; Graduate Teaching Assistant II (Masters) or equivalent – $31.30/hour
Course Description & Learning Objectives:
The world is nearing the point-of-no-return for catastrophic and irreversible climate change. Without action, the future will be one of mass forced migration, famine, and economic costs in the trillions of dollars. Many of these effects will be felt within the United States, and yet no other country is as deeply divided on climate change. For America, the climate crisis is as much a domestic political crisis as it is a crisis of planetary sustainability. But voices for climate action in America remain strong and there are signs of progress. American activists and philanthropists are increasingly steering the global conservation about how to solve the crisis. Innovation in renewable energy, geoengineering, and artificial intelligence are thriving and may hold the key. American cities have stepped up to assume the mantle of leadership in reducing greenhouse gases when the federal government has failed. There are signs of both promise and peril for America’s climate future. Can the United States overcome its domestic climate crisis to become a global leader for climate action? Or are the forces of extreme partisanship, climate denialism, and dirty industry too deeply entrenched?
Learning Objectives:
By the end of this course, students will be able to:
- Develop a balanced understanding of the history, politics, and culture of climate change in the United States.
- Discuss and critique different climate change perspectives, arguments, and ideas with peers and guest speakers.
- Explore climate change from an interdisciplinary perspective, including from physical science, social science, journalism, and policy perspectives.
- Analyze and reflect on work on climate change from some of the world’s foremost climate intellectuals and discuss it directly with them.
- Craft a high-quality research essay through an iterative draft process involving both peer and instructor feedback.
Please submit a current CV and completed application form to: hilary.geise@ubc.ca
Click here for the Application Form
The deadline for submission is January 24, 2019.
UBC hires on the basis of merit and is committed to employment equity. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply.