LECTURELECTURE

GEOG 270GEOG 270Fall 2007Fall 2007

December 5, 2007December 5, 2007

Joe Hannah, PhDJoe Hannah, PhDDepartment of GeographyDepartment of Geography

University of WashingtonUniversity of Washington

Development and Development and Environmental Environmental

ChangeChange

Development, Sustainability, Development, Sustainability, and our Personal Responseand our Personal Response

Today: Course wrap-upToday: Course wrap-up

I.I. Development, Sustainability, and Development, Sustainability, and Sustainable DevelopmentSustainable Development

II.II. Our Personal ResponseOur Personal Response

I. Development, Sustainability, I. Development, Sustainability, and Sustainable Developmentand Sustainable Development

““What is Development” What is Development” RevisitedRevisited

►The The Third WorldThird World is hard to define in a is hard to define in a manner that all can agree upon.manner that all can agree upon.

►DevelopmentDevelopment is also difficult, if not is also difficult, if not impossible, to define satisfactorilyimpossible, to define satisfactorily

►But we know it has to do with But we know it has to do with changechange, , with improving people’s lives.with improving people’s lives.

““Environmentalism” Environmentalism” DiscourseDiscourse

Metaphors for survival

Sustainability: an “Integrative Sustainability: an “Integrative Term”Term”

► The term “sustainability” it has become The term “sustainability” it has become useful precisely because it promotes useful precisely because it promotes bothboth growth/prosperity/poverty reductiongrowth/prosperity/poverty reduction

ANDAND reduced impacts on reduced impacts on the environmentthe environment

i.e., it integrates the two discourses of Development and Environment

But is sustainability really an But is sustainability really an Integrative Paradigm?Integrative Paradigm?

Adams: Adams: “The one language of “The one language of sustainability has hidden the sustainability has hidden the

separation of two cultures [of thought separation of two cultures [of thought and priorities] ... “Environmentalists and priorities] ... “Environmentalists and social scientists speak different and social scientists speak different

languages.”languages.”

The definition of sustainability is also contested.

Political ContestationPolitical Contestation

► Third World, Development, Sustainability: Third World, Development, Sustainability:

difficult, if not impossible, to define.difficult, if not impossible, to define.

Dryzek: Dryzek: “Does this variety of meanings “Does this variety of meanings mean that we should dismiss sustainable mean that we should dismiss sustainable development as an empty vessel that can development as an empty vessel that can be filled with whatever one likes? Not at be filled with whatever one likes? Not at

all. For it is not unusual for important all. For it is not unusual for important concepts to be concepts to be contested politicallycontested politically.”.”

Applying TheoryApplying Theory

►“…“…a system of assumptions, accepted a system of assumptions, accepted principles, and rules of procedure principles, and rules of procedure devised to analyze, predict or devised to analyze, predict or otherwise explain the nature or otherwise explain the nature or behavior of a specified set of behavior of a specified set of phenomena.” ( American Heritage phenomena.” ( American Heritage Dictionary)Dictionary)

►A foundation upon which we base our A foundation upon which we base our beliefs and actionsbeliefs and actions

Theory Theory (Continued)(Continued)

►Even when we do not recognize or Even when we do not recognize or acknowledge it, we are acting (speaking, acknowledge it, we are acting (speaking, writing, mapping) under some form of writing, mapping) under some form of theory.theory.

Therefore we need to be aware of Therefore we need to be aware of theorytheory as it underpins and constructs the as it underpins and constructs the

meanings of these terms for various meanings of these terms for various actors and subjects of developmentactors and subjects of development

Examples of theoriesExamples of theories

► ModernizationModernization

► Cornucopian TheoryCornucopian Theory

II. Our Personal ResponseII. Our Personal Response

A Challenge

This class has been aboutThis class has been aboutproblems problems and and debatesdebates

►Population and consumptionPopulation and consumption►Global warmingGlobal warming►GMO agricultureGMO agriculture

Where you stand and how you perceive these problems and debates says much

about your own personal values and world view – the theoretical bases from

which you think and act.

Power of a Personal Power of a Personal ResponseResponse

► It starts with your values, your It starts with your values, your approaches to approaches to lifelife and to the and to the world.world. What will you do with your life? Will the What will you do with your life? Will the

world be a better place for your having world be a better place for your having been here?been here?

What is your sense of the What is your sense of the interconnectedness of things in the world?interconnectedness of things in the world?

Where does your responsibility lie?Where does your responsibility lie?

1. Individual response1. Individual response

►Sustainability, starts with each of us Sustainability, starts with each of us transforming our own lives and our transforming our own lives and our own way of thinkingown way of thinking

►All other change – community, All other change – community, national, or global -- is predicated on national, or global -- is predicated on our personal transformationour personal transformation

► e.g., changing consumptione.g., changing consumption

YES!! Riding your bicycle is a political act!

2. Community/Group 2. Community/Group ResponseResponse

► Individual responses are necessary but Individual responses are necessary but not sufficient… (e.g., Maniates’ not sufficient… (e.g., Maniates’ “individuization”)“individuization”)

►Examples in the Third WorldExamples in the Third World Promoting efficient cook stovesPromoting efficient cook stoves Clean water projectsClean water projects Organic farming methods (e.g., Shiva)Organic farming methods (e.g., Shiva)

► Examples of things we can do?Examples of things we can do?

3. Governmental Responses3. Governmental Responses

► Global problems require large-scale Global problems require large-scale interventions interventions as wellas well as individual as individual responsesresponses

► We have to hold our gov’t’s feet to the We have to hold our gov’t’s feet to the firefire

e.g., governmental responsese.g., governmental responses

► Examples:Examples: Increased gas Increased gas

mileage regulationsmileage regulations Mass transitMass transit Iceland’s geothermal Iceland’s geothermal

plants – New plants – New England, too!England, too!

Bali Conference on Bali Conference on Global Warming – Global Warming – could this be an example could this be an example of successful public of successful public pressure?pressure?

There is much to be done…There is much to be done…

A balance-sheet of development and human well-being shows achievements and deficits. Power

and poverty are polarized at the extremes, with a global overclass and a global underclass…

…opportunities exist to make a difference for the better. The challenge is personal, professional and institutional, to frame a practical paradigm for knowing and acting, and changing how we

know and act, in a flux of uncertainty and change.

Chambers, Whose Reality Counts?, p.1.

The Challenge:The Challenge:

What will you do What will you do next?next?

(I mean, (I mean, afterafter finals.) finals.)