Approaches to Contemporary Political Theory: Sovereignty, Territory, and the Environment

This course surveys ways in which the value of the environment has been conceptualized in political philosophy, with a special focus on the moral problem of climate change and its intersection with territorial rights and self-determination.  What is the moral basis of claims to territory and natural resources?  What is the value of nature, biodiversity, and non-human animals?  Are territorial rights and self-determination compatible with respect for the environment?  What are our environmental responsibilities to future generations?  How should individuals and governments respond to the problem of climate change?  Is economic growth the problem or the solution?