Biodiversity, Society and the Law

Overview

Credit value: 30 credits at Level 7
Convenor: Dr Rob Amos
Assessment: research output, e.g. research poster, presentation, short story, short film (80%) and a 1500-word reflective essay (20%)

Module description

Drawing on multiple perspectives, including animal law, ecological law and theories of ecocentric justice, in this module we interrogate how law and policy define, positively and negatively, the interactions between humans and other species in different social, legal and ecological contexts.

Each seminar will be centred on a different theme that highlights critical points of contact between nature and society, with examples including wildlife-human conflict, wildlife trade and agriculture. In each case, we will supplement our study of relevant legal regimes, covering national, regional and international law, with a narrative approach to legal analysis. Our concern is not just with what the law is - its strengths and weaknesses, its content and its limitations - but also the stories that the law tells through how it governs our relationships with other species.

You do not need a legal background to study this module.

Indicative syllabus

Challenging hierarchies in nature
Ecological integrity: finding space for nature
Biodiversity in international trade
Biodiversity as human 'tools'
Invaders or saviours?
Biodiversity and global health
Wildlife - human 'conflict'
Captivity or conservation?
Conservation, restoration and de-extinction
Output workshop

Learning objectives

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

demonstrate a detailed understanding of key legal issues relating to biodiversity
critically analyse the law’s design and operation in different biodiversity contexts, including from non-law disciplinary perspectives
present critical perspectives on the law in a concise and creative manner
evaluate, including through reflective writing, how your understanding of relevant legal issues has evolved during your time on the course.