For this assignment you need to:
gather basic information about one of the following key global sustainable development issues: household recycling and/or household heating, transport, household infra structure and consumption, community based forest initiatives;
explain why/to what extent this is an issue for sustainable development; and
briefly discuss 2 different perspectives for analysing and addressing the issue, choosing from ecological modernisation; social practice theory; gender-sensitive; or community approaches.
It is NOT an in-depth analysis of an issue. Rather, you are to provide a succinct overview, and a brief analysis of how the issue can be understood and dealt with.
More specifically your Brief should include:
A factual, short overview of the issue: what makes it a significant sustainable development/sustainability issue? What are the key sources of the problem it pose what are the main dimensions of debates surrounding the issue?
Analysis from two contrasted perspectives: how do analyses from a practice perspective, from an ecological modernisation perspective, from a gender senstivie perspective or a ‘community’ perspective (choose 2 of these only) improve our understanding of the issue? What do they suggest, or imply, for addressing the issue? (explain each, then briefly compare the two).
A conclusion, which should not repeat what has already been said, but should draw together the previous discussion. For example, you might want to give an opinion on which perspective you think more useful for tackling the issue.
In your Brief, be sure to draw upon key readings studied so far, relevant to the perspectives you choose to take up. You should rely primarily on academic sources (peer-reviewed journals or academic texts), but you may also use primary sources such as UN, NGO or government documents and websites, and, where relevant, news stories. You should read beyond the essential readings, including additional readings included in the resource list and/or discovered by yourself.
The Brief should be between 1,500 and 1,700 words. This is from the first word after the title to the last word before the reference list. It includes footnotes (but you are advised not to use these) but does not include tables, figures (graphs etc), and the captions for these, nor the reference list. Do not add anything after the reference list e.g. don’t include endnotes or appendices (if you do they will be included in the word limit). You will not be penalised for submitting work below the word limit. However, you should note that shorter Issue Briefs are unlikely to achieve the required scope and that this will be reflected in your mark.
