Although the topic of geopolitics is not new, its application to the fields of environment and sustainability are becoming more important for both theory and practice. A number of new books, articles, and approaches have centered around international environmental geopolitics that focuses on (as Dalby has stated): 1. Inquiring into how human agency, and particularly uneven power relationships, is portrayed or obscured in geopolitical claims about environmental issues, and; (2) 2. Recognize ways in which selective, spatial focus, such as universal generalizations about environmental processes or place-specific, environmental situations, serve to legitimize particular perspectives or political interests

The purpose of this class is to look at these questions within the context of terrestrial, atmospheric, oceanic, and outer space contexts. The class would be taught in a seminar-style with two readings per week being discussed. Evaluation would include a short response paper at the end of term