As a major part of completing the course requirements for ENVR-E-145,
students are expected to submit a research paper on a particular topic
that represents their best reflections on a selected problem of environmental justice. Further, students will be required to make an oral presentation
in one of the class sessions toward the end of the term. The papers
should not be in excess of 20 type-written pages of text (250 w/page
or 5,000 word limit), plus a supporting bibliography. The class presentations
should be thought of as a 5 to 8-minute, stand-up exposition of your
best thoughts on the subject you chose.
Three broad types of paper topics are acceptable for the term paper.
First, papers can examine a "case study" of a particular
"subject area" of environmental justice, such as "Toxic Waste
Disposal Problems in Louisana," or "Resource Extraction
and Indigenous Groups in the Niger River Delta," etc.
Secondly, students can explore the environmental justice of a self-identified
group or community -- for example, the "Environmental Justice
Concerns of the Western Harlem Environmental Action Network"
Finally, it is acceptable to explore the stated or implied environmental
justice writing of a major historical or contemporary environmental
or human rights figure -- an individual who has made a recognized
contribution to environmental justice thought or management practice
in this country or abroad. For example, "The Life and Death
of Ken Sara Wiwa," etc.
It is recognized that students come to the course with a wide variety
of disciplinary backgrounds and writing experience, and it is expected
that the papers will reflect that diversity of orientation. Given
that diversity, each will have to be crafted with the particularities
of the specific problem under investigation. Further, it is recognized
that people have widely differing writing styles, and any of a number
of modes of presentation may be used in discussing the variety of
issues involved in environmental justice.
Nevertheless, those papers that are likely to be judged to be the
best are those that have most of the following components:
• a clear exposition
of the factual issues involved in the selected issue (perhaps 4 to 5
pages out of the full 20 pages);
• a succinct
presentation of the major ethical dilemmas or choices to be faced
in resolving the problem discussed (perhaps 2 to 3 pages);
• a brief review
of the main approaches that have been taken to this issue either in
public discourse, academic writing, judicial decisions, legislative
language, activist literature, etc. (perhaps 6 to 8 pages);
• a crystal clear
presentation of your own assessment of the issue, highlighting what
principles in your judgment should be brought to bear in deciding
upon the environmental justice issue discussed and emphasizing how
you would reach a resolution of the problem at hand.
In preparation for the term essay, students are to submit a Prospectus
with an Annotated Bibliography by Thursday,
20 March. This Prospectus will outline what
subject you intend to undertake for the term paper and discuss the main
sources you expect to bring into focus for the topic you are treating.
This paper and bibliography is to be no longer than five (5) typwritten
pages. Distance learners may submit this Prospectus via e-mail
according to procedures that will be specified.
In the most general terms, it is true that in this kind of work there
are no "right" or "wrong" answers, but there are empirical facts,
modes of reasoning and styles of presentation that prove to be more
or less persuasive. Remember, this paper is essentially an essay
-- that is, a statement of opinion about a given problem supported
by empirical evidence and logical argumentation. It may not be
possible to define a good essay, but it is possible to identify poor
argumentation, faulty, inappropriate or insufficient evidence and
bad writing.
It will be important to keep in mind that merely a factual exposition
of an environmental justice dilemma -- however intricate and fascinating
in itself -- will not be considered sufficient for the purposes of
this paper. You must also give evidence of having considered
and evaluated the alternate approaches to the environmental justice
dilemma, and you must express a judgment about how, in their
own opinion, the environmental justice issue that the problem reflects
could best be resolved. Thus, it should be clear from the outset that
although research is required to lay out the problem for the reader,
the burden of the paper will be expected to focus not upon extensive
research per se but rather upon the reasoning surrounding the
issue and what in your judgment is the best solution to the environmental
justice problem under consideration.
The final version
of the paper is due in class on or before Thursday,
1 May 2007.