Dr. Webster teaches about the theory and practice of environmental governance using an old-school political economy lens. Intro and intermediate level courses like Marine Policy (ENVS 17) and Environmental Economics and Governance (ENVS 56) focus on the applied side of environmental policy while more advance courses like Global Environmental Politics (ENVS 65) spend more time on theory. In all of her courses, Dr. Webster emphasizes active learning, particularly applying concepts learned in the course to the student’s own research into governance of real-world environmental issues. Dr. Webster will also be teaching about environmental policy in Africa on the ENVS FSP starting in the fall of 2023.
ENVS 17 Marine Policy
People use the oceans for transportation, recreation, food, mineral wealth, waste disposal, military defense, and many other important things. This course explores the most significant human-ocean interactions known today from two perspectives: science and policy. From the scientific literature, students will learn about issues ranging from the physical effects of sea level rise to the biological impacts of pollution events like the recent BP oil spill to the economic repercussions of overfishing. For each of the problems that are revealed by science, we will also critically evaluate relevant policy solutions to understand how institutional design can (or can’t) enhance human interactions with the oceans.
Dolphin breaching near commercial fishing vessels sheltering in Walvis Bay, Namibia. We cover many different issues in Marine Policy, but fishing is one of the big ones. Photo (c) D.G. Webster (2016).
ENVS 56 Environmental Economics and Governance
This course explores how concepts from economics and political science can be integrated and applied to issues of environmental governance. Classroom activities and assignments are designed to foster critical thinking about 1) the tools used in environmental economics and 2) the interplay between economic and political forces in human-environment systems. Students will learn how concepts such as cost-benefit analysis, incentive-based regulation, and interest-based politics are applied to problems ranging from pollution reduction to international environmental negotiations.
Elephant family near the Chobe River in Botswana. In ENVS 56, we use Botswana as an extended case study to better understand how economists value the environment (and what their cost-benefit analyses leave out). (c) D.G. Webster 2019
ENVS 65 Global Environmental Politics
This course will examine the global politics associated with environmental issues such as desertification, wildlife management, biodiversity conservation, oceans and fisheries, shared water resources, and climate change. Specifically, we will engage these topics using theories from international relations and comparative politics. A major goal of the course is to give students a firm understanding of the linkages between the policy preferences of governments and the outcomes of international negotiations regarding the global environment.
Suburbia, USA? Nope. Pietermaritzburg, South Africa. In my classes I also like to challenge student’s assumptions about the world, using visual images like this as well as data and references to the literature. (c) D.G. Webster 2016