Theme Issue Call for Papers

Learning for sustainability through resource and environmental governance:
Lessons from Canadian experiences

Environments addresses people in their social, natural and built environments. The intent is to promote scholarship and discussion in a multidisciplinary and civic way, providing ideas and information that people might use to think effectively about the future.

The theme

Resource and environmental problems are often complex and controversial, and have uncertain impacts on social and ecological systems. They frequently involve numerous ecosystems, overlapping administrative jurisdictions, contested politics, many stakeholders and knowledge claims, and diverse economic interests. In response to such problems, there is a need for environmental governance to be adaptive and to reflect learning by people, groups, organizations and other governance actors. Learning from governance experiences helps participants gain insight into complex social and ecological systems, develop shared understandings of problems and potential solutions, make decisions under conditions of high uncertainty, and guide social and ecological systems along sustainable paths.

The editors invite contributions on the subject of learning for sustainability through environmental governance. Governance is viewed broadly, and includes policy making, regulation, planning, management, administration, assessment, monitoring and decision making. The focus of the special issue is lessons from Canadian experiences. Paper topics may include, but are not limited to:

• education that facilitates learning in governance
• institutions, organizational structures, and governance processes that enable or inhibit learning
• informal or experiential learning by people, groups, organizations and other actors involved in governance
• connections among individual, social, organizational and societal learning
• promising theoretical, conceptual and methodological frameworks in the field
• examples of community-based social marketing and learning for sustainability
• the roles of behavioural change and social action in learning for sustainability
• the policy learning cycle and adaptive policy making
• learning outcomes that are consistent with sustainability objectives

Guest editors

Alan Diduck, Environmental Studies Program, The University of Winnipeg, a.diduck@uwinnipeg.ca

A. John Sinclair, Natural Resources Institute, University of Manitoba, jsincla@ms.umanitoba.ca

Timing

Abstracts of 250 to 300 words should be submitted electronically to one of the guest editors by January 6, 2012. Authors of selected abstracts will be invited to submit papers, of no more than 6,000 words, by June 15, 2012, to achieve a Spring 2013 publication date. Detailed submission instructions and author guidelines for the papers may be found at http://www.environmentsjournal.ca/index.php/ejis/about/submissions.

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The University of Waterloo’s Water Institute is hosting three of the world’s leading ecosystem specialists for a day of discussion on source water protection and restoration.  “Innovations in Water Source Protection, Protected Areas, and Ecosystem Resilience” will take place on December 7, 2011.  There will be a plenary in the morning that is open to the public and free of charge, followed by a series of workshops with the specialists to address, and develop possible solutions to, the issues brought up in the plenary.

Event Details:

Where: Environment 3, Room 1408, University of Waterloo

When: Wednesday, December 7: Plenary 9 a.m.-11:45 a.m. and workshops 1 p.m.-4:15 p.m.

Who: Keith Bowers (Former chair of the Society for Ecological Restoration International; founder and president of Biohabitats); F.Stuart (Terry) Chapin III (Professor Emeritus of Ecology in the Department of Biology and Wildlife at the University of Alaska Fairbanks; past-president of the Ecological Society of America); Jim Harris (Professor and chair in Environmental Technology at Cranfield University in Bedfordshire, UK)

The plenary is free, and seating is on a first-come, first-served basis.

Registration is required for the workshops. To reserve your spot, send a $20 cheque payable to Stephen Murphy. Fees will be put towards the food provided at the workshop.
Address:
Stephen Murphy
Department of Environment and Resource Studies (ERS),
University of Waterloo, 200 University Avenue West
Waterloo ON Canada
N2L 3G1

Click here for more information.

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Conference Call for Papers
The International Conference on
Culture, Politics, and Climate Change
September 13-15, 2012
Boulder, Colorado USA

Deadline for abstracts: January 10, 2012

This cross-disciplinary conference will explore intersections between culture, politics, and science in order to enhance our understanding of public policy addressing climate change. The conference will interrogate the many obstacles and opportunities confronting U.S. climate policymakers and scientists. Presenters will be asked to broadly consider how climate change is communicated and how these processes intersect with ongoing cultural and political issues. While we will focus on climate change, authors are encouraged to draw lessons that can be applied to a variety of environmental contexts. Comparative papers and panels that explore similarities and differences between culture, politics, and climate policy in the U.S. and other countries are encouraged.

Discussions about climate change, policy, and science arise in a variety of cultural settings. Questions of how and whether to address climate change on a national and global scale are significant parts of political and cultural discourse. How policy is made, the role of state and non-state actors, the communication of science and values, and how meaning is derived from our shared culture are all questions that directly influence policy outcomes. In the context of U.S. national elections and ongoing international climate negotiations, these considerations are especially relevant. This conference will address these questions in the context of the 2012 elections, the COP-18 climate talks, and other cultural developments.

Keynote speakers will include:
Raymond Bradley, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Mike Hulme, University of East Anglia, UK

Papers and panels on climate change may address, but should not be limited to questions about:

• Communication of science
• Media and environmental policy
• Social movements/activism
• Political communication of climate
• Mediated representation
• Non-state actors in climate politics
• Journalism studies
• Visual culture
• Consumer culture studies
• Spiritualities of globalization
• Religions and the environment
• Documentary/feature film
• Environmental ethics
• Philosophy of science

Culture, Politics, and Climate Change is a conference of the Center for Environmental Journalism at the University of Colorado Boulder. For more information, contact:

Deserai A. Crow, Associate Director, Center for Environmental Journalism
www.climateculturepolitics.org  

This conference is co-sponsored by the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES), Journalism and Mass Communication at the University of Colorado Boulder, Advertising a2b, the Institute of Arctic and Alpine Research (INSTAAR), and the CU Environmental Center.

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A tenure-track opening at the Assistant Professor level in the Department of Environmental Science and Studies (ENV) at DePaul University in Chicago, starting September 2012. The ENV currently serves over 150 undergraduate students in two majors: Environmental Science (B.S.) and Environmental Studies (B.A.). The ENV has six full-time faculty and a laboratorian. ENV faculty are actively engaged in research, and teach a diverse undergraduate population.

Position: Sustainability Studies to teach courses in Introduction to Sustainability and Ecological Economics, as well as general education courses in Environmental Science and/or Studies and upper level courses in his or her specialty. A candidate with a research emphasis in one or more of the following will be preferable: sustainable agriculture, green design, conservation psychology, or environmental health. An urban focus would be a plus.

The successful candidates will have a Ph.D., teaching experience, a strong commitment to undergraduate education, experience involving undergraduate students in their research as well as an interest in contributing to a growing major and department. Post-doctoral experience is a plus. ENV faculty are expected to develop an active and productive research program that offers research experiences for ENV majors, assist in developing the ENV curriculum, and participate in administrative duties at the department, college, and university levels. Start-up funds are provided. Research grants are available from the College and University on a competitive basis. Some support from ENV for continuous research activity and travel are also provided. The candidates will be encouraged to seek external funding to further support research activities.

Review of applications will begin November 15, 2011 and will continue until the position is filled. Applicants should apply online with a cover letter, curriculum vita, statement of research interests (2 page maximum), statement of teaching interests with educational philosophy (2 page maximum) and evidence of teaching effectiveness including syllabi of relevant courses. In addition, ENV requests three letters of reference ? please supply the on-line system with the e-mail addresses of three individuals. E-mail Naomi Leighton (nleighto@depaul.edu) for additional inquiries. To apply, go to:

facultyopportunities.depaul.edu/applicants/Central?quickFind=50823  

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WILLIAMS COLLEGE
Mellon Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Sustainable Agriculture
The Program in Environmental Studies at Williams College invites applications for a two-year post-doctoral fellowship in Sustainable Agriculture, beginning July 1, 2012. We welcome applications from candidates who will have the PhD. in hand by the start date or who have completed their PhD. within the last three years.??We seek candidates with training in the natural or social sciences to contribute to the curriculum and vitality of an undergraduate program. The position requires vision and initiative and a desire to join our vibrant multidisciplinary community of environmental scholars, practitioners and activists. Relevant fields include the traditional disciplines of agriculture, biology, geography, anthropology, sociology, and economics; we also encourage applicants with interdisciplinary training in agrobiodiversity, soil science, agroecology, or food studies. An international focus is also highly desirable.

Williams is an institution that places a high value on undergraduate teaching; consequently, we strongly prefer applicants who can demonstrate a capacity for excellent teaching.?? The successful candidates will be appointed for a term of two years and will carry a teaching load of one course each semester. The baseline stipend for these positions is $42,000 per year plus an allowance of $2,250 for research and professional travel expenses. Fellows will also be provided with full benefits including health and dental insurance. These positions are made possible by a grant from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.?? To ensure full consideration, applications must arrive by December 1, 2011.

Please send cover letter, curriculum vitae, a two-page statement of research project and teaching interests, and three letters of reference to: ??Jennifer L. French, Director??, Center for Environmental Studies??, 54 Stetson Court??, Williams College, ??Williamstown, MA 01267??. Fax and email applications not accepted. Inquiries may be sent to jfrench@williams.edu.

Williams College is a coeducational liberal arts institution located in the Berkshire Hills of western Massachusetts with easy access to the culturally rich cities of Albany, Boston, and New York City. The College is committed to building and supporting a diverse population of approximately 2,000 students, and to fostering an inclusive faculty, staff and curriculum. Williams has built its reputation on outstanding teaching and scholarship and on the academic excellence of its students.

Apply here: http://www.Click2Apply.net/3jvcs6w

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Assistant Professor in Human Ecology of Coastal Systems

Job Description:
The Department of Environmental, Earth and Ocean Sciences (EEOS), in the College of Science and Mathematics at the University of Massachusetts Boston (UMB) seeks applicants for a tenure-track assistant professorship in human ecology with a focus on the human dimension of coastal environmental systems. The appointment begins September 1, 2012. EEOS is an established and growing interdisciplinary department integrating natural and social scientific approaches to better understand earth-system processes, and manage complex interactions between human and environmental processes in linked watershed and coastal marine systems.
We seek an individual with demonstrated expertise and ability to develop a mature research program in human ecology/human dimensions of the coastal environment. Specialties of interest can include coupled human and natural systems; sustainability policy; social adaptation and mitigation of global climate and global environmental change; the consequences of changing human demographics and urbanization of linked coastal systems; and the environment and human health. Candidates whose prior work has not had a dominantly coastal focus, but whose research can be applied within coastal systems are also invited to apply.
The ideal candidate must possess strong analytical and research skills and is expected to: develop a nationally recognized funded research program in his/her area of specialization; teach graduate and undergraduate courses within core curriculum and in his/her area of expertise; and advise and support graduate students. Strong preference will be given to candidates with proven quantitative skills and/or experience in applying geospatial technology in their research.

Requirements:
The disciplinary focus is open, but candidates must possess a Ph.D. in a social or behavioral science, or in an interdisciplinary environmental field, with specific expertise in human dimensions of the environment. Applicants must demonstrate a commitment to teaching/research in an interdisciplinary program.

?Application Instructions:
Candidates must apply online.
A complete application will include: 1) a cover letter, 2) a letter of application that includes a statement of teaching experience/interests and research interests as they relate to the above, including evidence of collaborative capabilities; 3) a detailed CV; and 4) the names and contact information for three references.
For further information, visit the EEOS website at www.umb.edu/environment, or contact Dr. Bob Bowen, Chair of Search Committee, bob.bowen@umb.edu or (617)-287-7443. Application review will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.
UMass Boston is committed to building a culturally diverse faculty and staff and strongly encourages applications from women, persons of color, individuals with disabilities, and covered veterans.

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The Environmental Studies Program at Skidmore College seeks an environmental social scientist for a newly created tenure track position at the assistant professor level.  The position begins September 1st, 2012. The successful candidate will be strongly interdisciplinary with primary training in the social sciences and teaching and research interests related to food and energy, especially from a global perspective.  The applicant will teach five courses a year in our interdisciplinary, undergraduate Environmental Studies program. The teaching load includes our introductory Environmental Studies class and special topics courses at the 200- and 300-level in the candidate’s area of expertise, as well as the opportunity to team-teach our senior capstone seminar.  Interest in conducting undergraduate collaborative research in Environmental Studies is highly desirable.

Ph.D. required (to be completed by 9/2012) in Environmental Studies related disciplines from the social sciences (government, political science, sociology, geography, Environmental Studies, etc).

For more information about the Environmental Studies Program at Skidmore, please visit http://cms.skidmore.edu/environmental_studies

We encourage applications from under-represented groups as well as individuals who have experience with diverse student populations; women and minority candidates are encouraged to apply.

Review of applications will begin October 25, 2011 and will continue until the position is filled.

To learn more about and apply for this position please visit us online at:
https://careers.skidmore.edu/applicants/Central?quickFind=53460

Skidmore is a highly selective liberal arts college with a reputation for its creative approaches to just about everything. With its relatively small size and student-faculty ratio, the College is a close-knit academic community. Skidmore is known for its faculty of teacher-scholars devoted to the instruction and mentoring of undergraduates; approximately 2,400 talented men and women from some 47 states and 46 countries.

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ASSOCIATE/FULL PROFESSOR OF SUSTAINABILITY STUDIES

POSITION SUMMARY:
Pratt is an internationally recognized school of architecture, art, design, information science, writing, and critical and visual studies. Its strong programs in architecture, film, video, photography, computer graphics and other areas of arts and design draw students from diverse cultural and geographical backgrounds. The Department of Social Science & Cultural Studies contributes to the professional students’ core education and also has its own major in Critical and Visual Studies. The institute is located on a 25 acre campus in the historic Clinton Hill section of Brooklyn.

The Department of Social Science and Cultural Studies in the School of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Pratt Institute invites applications for a full-time tenure track Associate or Full Professor of Sustainability Studies.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:
In addition to the normal teaching, advising and service duties of a Professor at Pratt, the responsibilities of the Professor of Sustainability Studies include: Development of the Sustainability Minor. Pratt Institute’s Sustainability Minor, which is available to students in all of Pratt’s major fields, is unique in that it brings together faculty from
scientific, social scientific, and humanistic disciplines with experts in the various art, architecture and design fields represented at Pratt. As such, the Professor of Sustainability Studies must have the ability to work with faculty from across the schools of Art & Design, Architecture, Library and Information Science, and Liberal Arts and Sciences. Supervision of the Core Course in Pratt’s Sustainability Minor. The Core Course is an innovative foundation for the discipline of sustainability studies that integrates the intellectual work of faculty from across the institution in a team-teaching setting. The pedagogical challenge that will face the new Professor of Sustainability Studies is to create a structure that is both flexible and coherent, and which accounts for the rapidly changing field of sustainability studies. Contribution to the Intellectual Growth of the Department. The Department of Social Science and Cultural Studies houses specialists in anthropology, cultural studies, history, philosophy, psychology, sociology, and so on. It also runs a major in Critical and Visual
Studies, which is currently the only Bachelor of Arts program at Pratt.

QUALIFICATIONS:
The successful applicant for this position will have:

A Ph.D. in a core area of the social sciences, Science Studies/History of Science or philosophy and an M.A or M.S., or demonstrable Master’s-level competence, in a second field with special bearing on sustainability studies, such as, for instance, environmental studies, geography, urban studies, or one of the special sciences.A record of publication and research commensurate with the level of appointment. Experience in a multidisciplinary academic or research context and a commitment to interdisciplinary pedagogy. A history of successful grant writing.

TO APPLY:
Please send only cover letter and curriculum vitae at this time. Additional materials may be solicited subsequently. Review of applications will begin on November 15, but applications will be received until the position is filled.

PRATT INSTITUTE IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER AND RECOGNIZES AND
VALUES THE BENEFITS OF A DIVERSE WORKFORCE

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SUSTAINING CANADA
Past, Present and Future Environments
BACS 37th Annual Conference
Murray Edwards College, University of Cambridge
2–4 April 2012
CALL FOR PAPERS
The British Association for Canadian Studies (BACS) is pleased to announce that their 37th annual conference will take place on 2–4 April 2012 at Murray Edwards College, University of Cambridge.

The environment has long been viewed as a policy priority area for Canada: once seen as a boundless resource of raw materials, the need to sustain and conserve has grown in significance along with increasing concern about environmental change. The notion of the environment remains, however, both multi-faceted and contested.

We encourage contributions on any facet of the topic of Sustaining Canada within and beyond the field of Canadian Studies. Proposals for 20-minute papers, to be presented in either English or French, are invited from any single disciplinary or multidisciplinary perspective. Multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary and comparative panel proposals, including those from postgraduate students, are welcome.

The following aspects are indicative and not comprehensive:

• The origins and growth of environmentalism in Canada.
• Inter-Provincial contrasts? The impact of NAFTA? The sub-prime recession?
• The environment of Canada and resource extraction
• Long-term sustainability issues for energy and other sectors on a global level
• Actions to sustain the environment of Canada.
• Local activism, municipal, provincial, federal dimensions
• The environment of Canada and the human scale
•  Actions towards conservation: recycling, non-motorised transport
• The environment of Canada: depicted, remembered, imagined
• Idealised and devoid of human input? Or incomprehensible without it?
• The environment of Canada and policy-making
• A concern only in the good times or an enduring preoccupation?
• The environment of Canada and the Law
• Enforcement, conflict, Indigenous peoples’ land rights etc
• The environment of Canada and ecological fragility
•  Threatened environments: when, where, how?
• The environment of Canada and the Business sector
• Implications for corporate social responsibility: business costs, business practices

Enquiries and proposals to:

Jodie Robson, BACS Administrator
Email: bacs@canadian-studies.org
Website: https://sites.google.com/a/canadian-studies.org/bacs2012/

Proposals (panel and individual) and deadline:

Email abstract(s) of 200–300 words and brief CV (please do not exceed one side of A4) which must include your title, institutional affiliation, email and mailing address by 20 November 2011. Submissions will be acknowledged by email. Postgraduate students are especially welcome to submit a proposal and there will be a concessionary conference fee for students. BACS regrets that it is unable to assist participants with travel and accommodation costs.

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The 18th International Symposium on Society and Resource Management (ISSRM) will be hosted in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

Linking the North and the South: Responding to Environmental Change

Registration will be open some time this Fall, 2012.

Important dates:
Panels proposed to organizers due by Janurary 15, 2012
Abstracts due January 15th, 2012
2012 Student scholarship applications due Feb 15th, 2012
Electronic versions of presentations sent to ISSRM 2012 web site due May 25th 2012
Student papers submitted to ISSRM web site April 1, 2012

Venue:
University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

For more information about ISSRM 2012 Conference, please contact ISSRM2012@ales.ualberta.ca

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