CLIMATE CHANGE, CLIMATE ACTION: THE SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF CLIMATE CHANGE
The planet's climate is changing, and humans are causing it. This means that climate change is not only a topic of study for the biophysical sciences, but also for the social sciences. Focuses on the social dimensions of climate change: the social, political, environmental, and economic factors that shape the drivers and impacts of climate change and the ability of different places and communities to respond. Examines both the social problems that arise from climate change and the social solutions to mitigate and adapt to the climate crisis. How do these social dimensions shape climate change, and how does climate change shape different social dimensions? What climate solutions are being proposed, what climate solutions are already being implemented, and how can we critically evaluate the uneven impacts of those solutions across society and space?
Prerequisites & course information
Requisites: None Course Designation: Core GenEd - Social & Behavioral Science Breadth - Social Science Level - Elementary L&S Credit - L&S Liberal Arts and Science Repeatable for Credit: No Last Taught: Fall 2026 Learning Outcomes: 1. Explain the basic biophysical drivers of climate change and situate them in their broader socio-spatial contexts. Audience: Undergraduate 2. Describe core concepts in the climate social sciences, including mitigation, adaptation, vulnerability, resilience, and climate justice. Audience: Undergraduate 3. Discuss the broad contours of the social dimensions of climate change, including how they relate to political economies, energy systems, cities, agriculture, and human migration. Audience: Undergraduate 4. Critically assess different climate solutions, their feasibility, the obstacles to their implementation, and their uneven impacts. Audience: Undergraduate 5. Connect course material to climate justice and policy work occurring locally near campus, across Wisconsin, or in student hometowns. Audience: Undergraduate Learning Outcomes: 1. Explain the basic biophysical drivers of climate change and situate them in their broader socio-spatial contexts. Audience: Undergraduate 2. Describe core concepts in the climate social sciences, including mitigation, adaptation, vulnerability, resilience, and climate justice. Audience: Undergraduate 3. Discuss the broad contours of the social dimensions of climate change, including how they relate to political economies, energy systems, cities, agriculture, and human migration. Audience: Undergraduate 4. Critically assess different climate solutions, their feasibility, the obstacles to their implementation, and their uneven impacts. Audience: Undergraduate 5. Connect course material to climate justice and policy work occurring locally near campus, across Wisconsin, or in student hometowns. Audience: Undergraduate
Sources
Catalogue variants
- CLIMATE CHANGE, CLIMATE ACTION: THE SOCIAL DIMENSIONS OF CLIMATE CHANGE · 3-4 credits.