Earth and society : perspectives from geography

Teacher(s)

Lambin Eric; Scouvart Marie (compensates Lambin Eric);

Language

French

Main themes

The course tackles three themes that are used to illustrate the more important geographic theories and models . The first theme concerns the use of geographic space and its measurement, the systematic principles of the environment, the evolution of ecosystems and their degradation. The second theme concerns techniques for the analysis of geographic space with respect to ecological problems. This includes theories that relate to population and natural resource use. The third theme covers the present day macro-geographical organisation of space. The theoretical course is supplemented by practical sessions introducing students to documentary research and the scientific analysis and presentation of a subject. 

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :
1	The course is an introduction to the analysis of geographic space. From this perspective, it comprises, in addition to the basic elements of human geography, a more ecological approach that takes account of the relationships between people and their environment.

Content

This course aims to introduce students to the foundational concepts of geography while sparking their curiosity for a discipline that is essential to understanding the contemporary world. It explores the complex interactions between human societies and their environment, as well as the major challenges that arise from these dynamics, including climate change, biodiversity loss, disruptions to biogeochemical cycles, and land-use change. The course is organized around the concept of "planetary boundaries", offering a framework to critically examine how human needs can be met while remaining within the Earth’s ecological limits, in line with goals of sustainable development and societal transition. Combining theoretical perspectives with case studies rooted in current global issues, the course provides a geographical lens for analyzing environmental pressures and key social challenges. The aim is to provide students with the keys to understanding the world in an enlightened informed and responsible way.

Teaching methods

The course consists of 13 lecture sessions and 8 mandatory practical sessions.

Evaluation methods

The final grade is a weighted average (rounded up to the nearest whole number) of the student’s performance in the following two assessments:

• Theoretical exam (two-thirds of the final grade): This exam assesses the student's knowledge and critical understanding of the concepts, models, and case studies presented during the lecture sessions over the semester. It takes place during the regular examination period and consists of a closed-book written exam. The questions may take various forms, including multiple choice, definitions, and open-ended questions.
  
• Practical work (one-third of the final grade): This component evaluates the student's ability to conduct relevant literature research, analyze a topic from a geographical perspective, and present it in a scientific manner. It consists of a group project involving a written report and an oral presentation. Attendance at the practical sessions, as well as submission and presentation of the work, are mandatory. In accordance with Article 72 of the General Examination Regulations, the course instructors may propose to the examination board to deny access to the exam session (June or September) to any student who has not attended at least 80% of the practical sessions or who has failed to submit the required work on time.
  

During the second session, only a written exam on the theoretical component of the course will be organized. The grade obtained for the practical work remains valid for all examination sessions within the academic year.

Online resources

Slides written by the teacher are available on Moodle. 
The UNEP reference publication One Planet, Many People – Atlas of Our Changing Environment is available online at: https://wedocs.unep.org/handle/20.500.11822/9194.

Bibliography

Ouvrage de l’UNEP, One Planet Many People – Atlas of our changing environmenent, disponible en ligne https://wedocs.unep.org/handle/20.500.11822/9194.

Teaching materials

• transparents sur moodle

Faculty or entity

> GEOG