Teaching
Modules at the University of Exeter
These modules are available to undergraduate students on the BA/BSc Geography and BSc Environmental Science at the University of Exeter’s Cornwall Campus.
People and Nature
In this module we explore relationships between humans and the rest of the natural world, and how our ideas about and interactions with ‘nature’ shape the way we engage with and manage our environments. Working through historical and current cross-cultural ideas, we explore theorisations of nature, from something ‘out there’ to something that is fundamental to our (more than) human existence. From the deepest forest to your back garden, we examine contemporary relations and tensions between different kinds of natures and cultures. We consider how the management and conservation of the natural world is contested and negotiated in environmental conflicts and everyday life. We also explore the way nature is portrayed in art and visual media.
Human-Animal Interactions
Why do wolves symbolise wilderness and vultures signify death? How might our interactions with dogs differ from our encounters with cockroaches? How do elephants perceive, move through and shape their environment? In this module we explore spatial, symbolic, and material relations between humans and nonhuman animals. We examine what it means to be an animal, how nonhumans sense, inhabit and act in the world, and the diverse ways in which the lives of humans and other animals are intertwined. This module sets out key theories and debates relating to the place of animals in human societies and explores the emergence of innovative, multispecies approaches to research within and beyond the discipline of geography. We consider how, in a time of climate change, industrial agriculture, environmental pollution and widespread biodiversity loss, humans might live more sustainably in relation to other animals.
Geography, Environment and Society Field Course
This field course explores geographical, environmental science and social issues through hands-on fieldwork. You will have the opportunity to develop specialised skills in field techniques for an independent research project, while exploring the links between social and natural environment through interdisciplinary and group work. The module is introduced through introductory lectures in the second year, covering both practical details about the field course (health and safety and risk assessments, travel plans) and context to the key concepts behind the phenomena that you will discover on the field course. During the field course you will gain hands-on experience of field work in iconic landscapes and carry out guided field exercises and research projects to investigate these environments. Upon return to the Penryn Campus help sessions will be provided to give you support as you write up your research project.