NORS 648/PS448 Environmental Politics of the Circumpolar North
Spring Semester 2001
Dr. James N. Gladden
Gruening Building, Office 614B
Telephone: 4745418
Office Hours: MWF, 11:30-12:30
And by Appointment
During the past several decades the Arctic region has
become an increasing focus of political conflict. Efforts at developing
the natural resources of the high north circumpolar environment have generated
disagreement between industrial interests, arctic residents, environmental
groups, and governmental authorities. Business concerns generally wish
to extract and ship raw resources from the region for sale on global markets,
while environmentalists often oppose do so, arguing it damages fragile
and mostly pristine ecosystems. Arctic peoples, especially those who are
indigenous to the region, are caught up in a growing number of policy
debates over managing natural resources. Their economic and cultural lives
are closely tied to problems of sustaining conditions for environmental
quality. Public officials around the circumpolar north are engaged in
many policy debates that are shaping the future of the region.
This course focuses on environmental politics as a field of study, deploying
some of its theories to help think us more clearly about problems and
issues in the Arctic region. It mostly explores the frames of analysis
developed by Lynton Caldwell and Oran Young for thinking in critical ways
about the politics of the circumpolar North. The course emphasizes conflict
over industrial development of natural resources in the region. It looks
at the contentious idea of arctic wilderness from different points of
view. The challenges facing Native peoples are a key element in the politics
of the northern environment, and involve designing mechanisms for greater
control of resource use on land areas. As many of the readings suggest,
the circumpolar north is a region where conflicts over the use of the
natural world are growing. We will look at a range of efforts for developing
a larger policy strategy to protect the environmental quality of the north.
The following five books are required readings, and are available at the
UAF Bookstore for purchase. Please note I have also placed several articles
on closed reserve at the UAF Rasmuson Library. They are an essential part
of the materials assigned for the seminar, and are listed in the reading
schedule.
Required Books
Required Reserve Readings
Part Two: (Analytical Frameworks)
Part Three: (Natural Resource
Development)
Part Four: (Arctic Wilderness
Politics)
Part Five: (Arctic Governance)
Part Six: (Arctic Native Politics)
Course Requirements:
Attendance/Participation (10%)
The course will be taught as a seminar. I will organize and promote discussion
of the readings assigned for the class period. To make the course of greater
value to you, it is essential that you complete the assigned reading,
attend class regularly, and get involved in discussions.
Analytical Essays (50%)
Students will write five essays on assigned topics, and each is worth
10% of the final course grade. The essays are to be typed, with double
spacing, and must not exceed five (4) pages in length. Be sure to include
a cover sheet and title with your essay. These are analytic essays and
not research papers; and the goal of writing the papers is to get you
to confront the ideas in the assigned books. When citing passages from
the book you are reading, identify the page number in parentheses close
to where it is referred to in your essay, e.g., (45).
Caldwell, Essay #1: How optimistic is Caldwell about a
shift away from the existing global paradigm of economism and scientism
toward a new age of ecology?
Young, Essay #2: Which of the theories or frames of analysis
developed by Young do you find most useful in thinking more clearly about
Arctic environmental politics?
Coates, Essay #3: Is the use of the frontier concept by
Coates an effective way to analyze the environmental politics of the Trans-Alaska
Pipeline System policy debate?
Catton, Essay #4: What are the policy implications of
the inhabited wilderness idea for national parks in Alaska, and do you
agree with Catton?
Lynge, Essay #5: What does Lynge mean by the endangered
peoples of the Arctic region, and how persuasive are his arguments against
urban animal rights groups?
Research Paper (30%)
Choosing a Research Paper Topic
To complete this assignment, you need to choose a topic for writing a
research paper in one of four areas of Arctic environmental politics:
resource development, wilderness management, governance regimes, and aboriginal
rights. These areas correspond to the organization of topics and reading
materials for the course. For any number of topics available for choice,
there will be some overlap between the areas. For example, co-management
is a topic that arguably best fits building governance regimes. However,
it also has clear links with recognizing aboriginal rights, developing
natural resources, and managing wilderness areas. These angles of studying
the problem of co-management help to elucidate Arctic environmental politics,
but try to stay mostly inside one approach. It is appropriate to choose
a topic based in Alaska, but I strongly encourage you to investigate issues
in some of the other Arctic Eight nations.
1. Choose a natural resource development issue and write a paper that
describes and analyzes its environmental politics. One example is a proposal
to open 1002 lands in the Arctic Wildlife Refuge to oil development.
2. Choose a wilderness management issue and write a paper that describes
and analyzes its environmental politics. One example is conflict between
local people and outside interest groups over establishing and managing
nature reserves.
3. Choose a governance regime issue and write a paper that describes and
analyzes its environmental politics. One example is studying how the Arctic
Council can be more effective in efforts to protect northern lands and
waters.
4. Choose an aboriginal rights issue and write a paper that describes
and analyzes its environmental politics. One example is problems and prospects
for home rule in Nunavut as it relates to policy authority for managing
natural resources.
The second major task in writing your research paper is to engage theories
or frames of analysis to investigate your topic. Theories are ways of
thinking about and explaining the world around us, and some theories include
normative values. For example, Young’s ideas about a core region
and its periphery is a way of explaining power relations. It also suggests
the need for greater political control by rural peoples living in the
north over their surrounding land base. The theories you will encounter
and deploy come mostly from the writings of Caldwell and Young. Can you
use the writings of Young on shared resource regions to think about better
ways for managing conflicts inherent in environmental politics? Are Caldwell’s
ideas on the study of technological impacts or the ideology of scientism
useful for thinking about how to proceed with mega-projects in the north?
In evaluating the final draft of the research paper, I will look at the
extent to which you use theory to analyze the environmental politics topic
the paper addresses.
Research Paper Requirements
The research paper is to include a title page, abstract, table of contents,
body or text, and references cited. The title page should contain the
title of the paper, course information, your name, and the date the work
is handed in. The abstract should follow on the next page. It is a brief
summary that the reader uses to decide what the paper is about. The abstract
should be no longer than a half-page, or 150 words. The body of the text
should generally fall between 10-15 pages for PS448 students, and 15-20
pages for NORS646 students. It should be organized by headings, and you
may also wish to use subheadings. The research paper, excluding the cover
page, should be double-spaced, using a 12-font typescript, and standard
margins. The section for references cited at the end of the paper should
also be double-spaced. Students enrolled in PS448 must cite no fewer than
eight (8) books, articles, government documents, interviews, etc. NORS648
students need to use a minimum of twelve (12) sources in their research
papers. This excludes citing required readings for the course and websites.
However, both sources are encouraged, should you wish to make use of them.
Use the author-date system of citation for identifying the sources of
your research paper. A detailed explanation for using this system of citation
may be found in the latest edition of the Chicago Manual of Style, or
other reference manuals. There are two basic things you need to know about
using the author-date system. One concerns making a proper bibliographic
entry for a source in the references cited section at the end of your
paper. For an example of this, please refer to the required books section
of this syllabus. Note that the author(s) is placed in alphabetical order
by surname, and that the year the work is published is next item of entry.
The other basic use of the author-date system requires you to place notes
in parentheses inside your text, close to where the source material appears.
For example, if you want to cite a page number of Caldwell’s Between
Two Worlds, the correct form is (Caldwell 1990, 23-25) or, Caldwell argues
(1990, 23-25). Citing authors, dates, and pages in parentheses for journal
articles should be done in the following manner: (Grant 1998: 28) or,
Grant argues (1998: 28). Please refer to the Chicago Manual of Style for
more information on how to properly cite works using the author-date system.
Standards for Evaluating Papers
Your final research paper will be graded on attention to detail, with
a focus on how well it is organized and based on solid research. Does
your paper use any theoretical constructs to explain the environmental
politics of the topic you have chosen to describe and analyze? Have you
followed the guidelines for the title page, abstract, body of the paper,
and references cited? Have you taken care to weed out errors in grammar
and spelling? Have you polished the sentence structure of the paper, making
the style of writing as clear and engaging as possible? Does your syntax
manifest a precision of thouOctober 13, 2006date system of citation, placing notes in the text with
parentheses where the source material appears? Have you used the correct
bibliographic entries, and do they correspond to the references you have
built in parentheses in the text of your research paper? Is the general
appearance of your paper sharp and crisp, or does it appear sloppy and
done in haste?
Due Dates for Research Paper
To meet the requirements for the course, you need to meet four important
dates during the spring semester. Points for late work will be deducted
from the final research paper, unless it is cleared first with the instructor.
I. Prospectus, due February 26. Hand
in a title and a brief statement of the area and topic you have chosen
for study. You need to include a preliminary outline of headings you will
use to organize the paper as it moves into the draft stage of preparation.
Also provide no fewer than five references, with full facts of publication
organized in the author-date system of citation.
II. Draft Term Paper, due April 9.
Submit a complete draft of the research paper, with four parts: cover
page, abstract page, body or text, and references cited. I will write
suggestions on the draft and return it to you for revision. My comments
will focus mostly on your use of theory and how the paper is organized.
It is your responsibility to correct for grammar and spelling, to clean
up sloppy syntax, and to check your references for proper citations.
III. Final Term Paper, due April 25.
The final draft of your term paper is due, in class, and a one-half letter
grade penalty will be attached for each day the paper is late. I will
evaluate the papers, and you can pick them up after the semester is over.
IV. Presentation, final term paper, April 30, May
2. Students will present the results of their research projects
to the class. The goal is to share your work and generate discussion about
themes of environmental politics in the circumpolar north. I will pass around
a sign-up sheet so that you can choose a time to make your presentation.
Final Comprehensive Exam (20%)
The final exam is scheduled for May 7, Wednesday, between 5:45 and 7:45pm.
It is comprehensive in nature, and will test your general ability to integrate
themes and readings for the course.
Summary of Course Requirements
10% Class discussion/presentation
50% Five (5) analytical essays
30% Research paper
20% Final examination
Class Schedule & Assigned Readings
Part One: Environmental Politics
22 Jan. Introduction
24 Jan. Caldwell, Between Two Worlds, Preface, Part I, Chapters 1, 2,
3
29 Jan. Caldwell, Between Two Worlds, Part II, Chapters 4, 5, 6
31 Jan. Caldwell, Between Two Worlds, Part III, Chapters 7, 8, 9, Postscript
05 Feb. Caldwell essay #1 due in class (discussion)
Part Two: Frameworks of Analysis
07 Feb. Rey, “The Arctic: Mankind’s Unique Heritage;”
Young, Arctic Politics, Ch. 5, “Arctic Resource Conflicts”
Young, WGAIR paper, “Governance Systems for Shared Natural Resources”
12 Feb. Griffiths and Young, WGAIR paper, “Protecting the Arctic’s
Environment”
Griffiths and Young, WGAIR paper, “Sustainable Development and the
Arctic”
Young, Workshop paper, “Regional Cooperation in International Society”
14 Feb. Young, WGAIR paper, “Regions and Regionalism in International
Society”
Young, Workshop paper, “Sustainable Development in the Peripheries”
Gladden, “Core and Periphery Conflicts in Finnish Lapland”
19 Feb. Young essay # 2 due in class (discussion)
Part Three: Resource Development Issues
21 Feb. Young, Arctic Politics, Chapter 8, “Arctic Shipping”
Brigham, “Northern Sea Route”
Coates, Chapter 5, “Rampart Dam”
26 Feb. O’Neill, “How Point Hope Took on Teller”
Coates, Chapter 4, “Project Chariot”
Coates, Chapter 1, “Frontier Image”
26 Feb. Prospectus for term paper due
28 Feb. Coates, Chapter 2, “Impact of War,”
Coates, Chapter 3, “Postwar Era Boosters”
Coates, Chapter 6, “Oil Forces Gather”
05 Mar. Coates, Chapter 7, “TAPS 1969-71”
Coates, Chapter 8, “TAPS 1971-74”
Coates, Chapter 9, “Pipeline Project,”
Coates, Chapter 10, “After the Pipeline”
07 Mar. Coates essay #3 due in class (discussion)
12-16 Mar. Spring Break
Part Four: Northern Wilderness Issues
19 Mar. Klein, “Wilderness: A Concept Alien to Arctic Cultures”
Gladden, “Bioregionalism as an Arctic Wilderness Idea”
Gladden, “Arctic Wilderness Policy in the US and Finland”
21 Mar. Catton, Inhabited Wilderness, Preface, Intro., Chapters 1, 2, 3
26 Mar. Catton, Inhabited Wilderness, Chapters 4, 5, 6
28 Mar. Catton, Inhabited Wilderness, Chapters 7, 8, Conclusion
Grant, “Arctic Wilderness—And other Mythologies”
02 Apr. Catton essay #4 due (discussion)
Part Five: Arctic Governance Issues
04 Apr. Arctic Environmental Protection Strategy (1991)
Scrivener, “From Strategy to Council”
Berkes: “Co-Management: Bridging the Two Solitudes”
09 Apr. Young, Arctic Politics, Chapter 9, “World Affairs”
Young, Chapter 10, “Sustainable Development”
Young, Chapter 11, “Distinctive Region or Policy Periphery?”
09 Apr. Draft research paper due
Part Six: Arctic Native Peoples
11 Apr. Young, Arctic Politics, Chapter 6, “Politics of Animal Rights”
Lynge, Arctic Wars, Chapters 1, 2
16 Apr. Lynge, Arctic Wars, Chapters 3, 4, 5
18 Apr. Lynge essay #5 due in class (discussion)
23 Apr. Young, Arctic Politics, Chapter 1, “Internal Colonialism”
Young, Arctic Politics, Chapter 2, “Mixed Economies”
Young, Arctic Politics, Chapter 3, “Politics of Pathology”
25 Apr. Young, Arctic Politics, Chapter 4, “Cultural Survival”
Müller-Wille, “Indigenous Peoples..and Resource Development”
Griffiths, “Arctic Third World”
25 Apr. Final research paper due
30 Apr. Presentations, student research papers
02 May Presentations, student research papers
07 May Final examination, Wednesday, 5:45-7:45pm
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