syllabus

=Oil Politics STSS 4961, TF 12:00-1:50, Sage 3705= Professor Kim Fortun, fortuk@rpi.edu, Sage 5112 office hours Fridays 10-11, and by appt

Oil undergirds and drives (in more ways than one!) contemporary societies. In this course, we will map the ways we depend on oil, the problems associated with oil, and alternative sources of energy. In process, we will extend our thinking about the matrix of problems that make environmental sustainability both difficult, and an urgent priority. Throughout, we will analyze and try to produce effective environmental communication. Course material and assignments will be posted here: http://oilpoliticsrpi.wikispaces.com/

The course will have four learning outcomes. You should: • Strengthen your ability to think about and communicate the political implications of oil, and the significance of environmental sustainability. • Expand the way you think about problems in general, recognizing the matrix of factors (economic, social, technical, biophysical, cultural, etc) that shape problems and constrain solutions. • Hone your ability to identify, evaluate and communicate sustainability solutions, dealing well with complexity, controversy and inertia. • Develop social science research, analysis and communication skills, and your ability to imagine how academic insight can inform practical action. • Develop your own ideas and values regarding environmental sustainability.

Student research is at the core of this course. Much of your work out of class will be devoted to two research projects, one focused on the BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico, the other focused on alternatives to oil. As you are working on these projects, we will be watching, discussing and annotating films that describe the politics and environmental implications of oil. We will also have formal debates, one questioning whether the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge should be opened to oil drilling, another questioning whether natural gas drilling in the United States should be expanded. At the end of the semester, there will be a take-home essay exam that asks you to integrate the insight you have developed in the course.

Your grade for the course will be based on the following percentages: Participation 20% 10 Film Annotations 20% BP Disaster Research 15% Oil Alternatives Research 15% 2 Debate Papers 10% Take-home Exam 20%

For each day an assignment is late, you will lose 1% from your overall (cumulative) grade. If a debate paper is a day late, for example, it can contribute at most 4% to your overall grade.

Attendance is required. In order to receive participation credit for an excused absence, you need to submit an extra film annotation. Note that it is difficult to fully make up a missed class if you are scheduled for a presentation so this should be avoided if at all possible. Each unexcused absence will result in a 2% deduction from your final grade. Please let me know in advance if you need to be absent for RPI activities, religious holidays or other such events.

You are responsible for maintaining electronic backup copies of your work. If your work posted online disappears for any reason, please be prepared to replace it.

It is not acceptable to submit work done for another class in this class, though it is acceptable to build on previous work. Talk to me if you have questions about this. Nor, of course, is it acceptable to submit work done by another student as your own.

Academic honesty is especially important when students are involved in research. Citations must be included for both indirect and direct quotation, providing clear documentation of sources. This course will involve extensive use of digital resources and will involve students in the production of many digital documents and visualizations. Special care must be taken to properly cite digital resources. Please see the Student Handbook for complete guidelines on academic honesty. Here is a useful review of plagiarism: http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/plagiarism.html. If I am able to confirm plagiarism or another form of academic dishonesty on any assignment in this course, you are likely to fail the entire course.

ASSIGNMENT DETAILS
__Participation__ Active engagement with class films, discussions and presentations is expected. Laptops and other means of electronic communication should not be used during class except during debates or when I specify.

__Cumulative Take-Home Exam__ At the end of the semester, you will take a cumulative, take-home essay exam that asks you to integrate and reflect on the insight you have developed about oil politics and environmental sustainability. I expect the exam essays to demonstrate sophisticated understanding of the issues, and advanced capacity for analysis. Keeping a journal throughout the semester would be an excellent way to cultivate the kind of reflection expected. The exam is due in class Tuesday, May 10.

__Film Annotations__ Ineffective communication about political issues and environmental problems are part of the matrix of factors that make sustainability difficult. To deepen your understanding of this, this course revolves around analysis and production of media representations of oil politics and environmental sustainability. To refine your sense of what kinds of media representations are effective, you will complete 10 film annotations. A list of relevant films is on the course wiki. Some will be screened in class. Most are available through Folsom Library Reserves. Check with me if you would like to add films to the list.

Five film annotations are due by Friday, March 11. Another five annotations are due by Tuesday, April 26. Pace yourself as you will get most out of this assignment if you aren’t rushed. I will let you know if I need hard copies of your annotations on these due dates.

Annotations should be posted in your wiki portfolio, titled like this: FortunChinaRevsUp. I will grade annotations as they are posted. Please indicate if an annotation in your wiki portfolio is posted, but not yet complete.

Credit received will depend on complete coverage of questions, use of concrete examples from the film to illustrate points and high quality writing. Annotations can be in essay form, or can answer each question separately, but must be in complete sentences and paragraphs. It should be clear that you have moved beyond notes to a sophisticated analysis. Address all the questions in the template below.

//film annotation template// 1. Title, director and release year? 2. What is the central argument or narrative of the film? 3. Who are they key social actors and stakeholders in the film? 4. What does the film convey about the matrix of factors that contribute to our dependence on oil? 5. What does the film convey about the matrix of problems caused by our dependence on oil? 6. What does the film convey about the matrix of affects that would be mobilized by a shift away from oil? 7. What parts of the film did you find most persuasive and compelling? Why? 8. What parts of the film were you not compelled or convinced by? Why? 9. What kinds of corrective action are suggested by the film? If the film itself does not suggest corrective action, describe actions that you can imagine being effective. 10. What additional information has this film compelled you to seek out? (Provide at least two supporting references, explaining what your learned from each reference.)

__BP Disaster Research__ We will take a “crowdsourcing” approach to this research, with each student focusing on one factor in the matrices that led up to the disaster, and then shaped scientific understanding of the consequences, recovery and post-disaster communications. There will be four research groups, each of which will be responsible for coordinating individual projects within the group (fostering synergism but avoiding duplication, etc.). Each student will create a wiki post and oral presentation, coordinated with his or her group. As part of the research, each student will produce five article/chapter annotations, which will be shared with their group. Each student’s wiki post must include reference to at least two annotations /references other than their own. Each student’s wiki post and oral presentation will also include a ppt collage that provides a visually compelling snapshot of the research. BP research projects will be due March 1.

The four research groups will be organized around these questions: group 1: What matrix of factors caused the 2010 BP disaster? group 2: What matrix of factors shaped the science available to understand short and long term affects of the BP disaster? group 3: What matrix of factors shaped recovery in the wake of the 2010 BP disaster group 4: What matrix of factors shaped communications in the wake of the 2010 BP disaster?

//article/chapter annotation template// 1. Full citation. 2. Where does the author work, what else has s/he written about, and what are her/his credentials? 3. What is the main topic or argument of the text? 4. Describe at least three ways that the main topic or argument is fleshed out. 5. What three quotes capture the critical import of the text? 6. Explain how the argument and evidence in the text supports your research focus. 7. List at least two details or references from the text that will be useful to other members of your research group

//wiki research post template (to be customized for each group)// group 1: What matrix of factors caused the 2010 BP disaster? 1. What factor in the matrix that caused the BP disaster have you chosen to focus on? 2. What three quotes (from three different sources) help explain the causal factor you have identified? 3. What people and organizations were key actors? What other stakeholders should be noted? 4. What further details from your sources convey the significance of the problem you have identified? Provide at least five details, with references. 5. What could have offset the causal factor you have identified? Provide at least one reference in responding. 6. How has this analysis advanced your understanding of the 2010 BP disaster, and of oil politics more broadly? 7. What lessons can be drawn for disaster prevention in the future?

__Oil Alternatives Research__ Again, we will take a crowdsourcing approach, with students working in groups focuses on particular types of projects that provide alternatives to oil. One group could focus on marine wind energy while another focuses on solar energy, bioplastics, or green chemistry, for example. Each group will identify and evaluate existing projects using a template of questions that will advance your project evaluation skills. Oil Alternatives research projects will be due May 3.

__Debate Papers__ Just after spring break, you will write two debate papers, and participate in at least one formal debate in class (in which your side and role will be assigned). The aim of this assignment is to advance your ability to analyze and work within controversy.

Each paper will critically analyze at least three articles (of your choosing), and should be approximately 1500 words long. Papers should be should be posted in your wiki portfolio, titled like this: FortunDebatePaper1. The heading of each paper should include the following information: Name, Debate Paper #, debate topic, word count.

//debate paper template// Papers should have separate paragraphs that provide the following: 1) An introduction to the issue that provides historical perspective, a list of “stakeholders,” and a list of sub-issues that must be addressed to systematically deal with the main issue. 2) An overview of an article representing the “yes” position, describing the argument, the facts used to support it, and the ideological framework. 3) An analysis of the “yes” position that identifies holes in the argument, faulty reasoning, overstatements, and other ways evidence is mishandled. 4) An overview of an article representing the “no” position, describing the argument, the facts used to support it, and the ideological framework. 5) An analysis of the “no” position that identifies holes in the argument, faulty reasoning, overstatements, and other ways empirical evidence is mishandled. 6) An overview of the argument and evidence provided in a third article. This paragraph should focus on ways this article challenges or extends the arguments and evidence presented in the articles described previously. 7) A statement of your perspective on the issue and a brief description of what you consider priority actions needed to respond to the issue. 8) Full citations for all articles referred to.

Key Dates
March 1: BP research posts and presentations March 11: film annotations 1-5 March 14-18: spring break March 25-April 8: two debate papers April 15: exam posted April 26: film annotations 6-10 April 29: oil alternatives research posts and presentations May 10: exam due