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Unit of Study ENVR6008 - Ecological Perspectives for Transformational Change (2021)

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Unit Snapshot

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Unit description

Explores the emergence of holistic, complex adaptive systems approaches to thinking and knowledge, compared with reductionist science and mechanistic understandings of nature, and indigenous knowledges. Examines human ecology, including the role of different belief systems and their impact on ecological perspectives, which in turn influence individual and communal behaviour. Considers the role of ecological literacy in the context of regenerative agriculture. Students explore their connection to the environment, to systems and to holistic thinking through theory and practice, and how this can contribute to transformative change for our land and societies.

Unit content

  • The role of values, world views and the narratives shaping our perspectives and decisions
  • Mechanistic models and complex adaptive phenomena
  • A meta-view of ecology: evolution and the holarchy model
  • Mechanistic and ecological paradigms in the context of regenerative agriculture
  • Building an understanding of holism and it's guiding role in regenerative thinking and action
  • Values, imagination and complexity thinking
  • Ecological literacy, ecological thinking & ecological feeling in regenerative agriculture
  • Self organisation, emergence and the challenge of paradox in complex phenomenon
  • Philosophy of regenerative agriculture and it's connections with indigenous thinking
  • Indigenous understandings of self, nature and change
  • What is required to bring about transformative change

Availabilities

Location Domestic International
Online
Session1,2
Session1,2

Learning outcomes

Unit Learning Outcomes express learning achievement in terms of what a student should know, understand and be able to do on completion of a unit. These outcomes are aligned with the graduate attributes. The unit learning outcomes and graduate attributes are also the basis of evaluating prior learning.

On completion of this unit, students should be able to:

compare mechanistic and complex adaptive systems worldviews and how this influences ecological perspectives

demonstrate the capacity to undertake reflective analysis on the relationship between worldview and land management

demonstrate the capacity to describe and interpret one’s relationship with the natural world

describe the role of both reductionist and holistic approaches to science and agricultural practice

develop an understanding of the role of indigenous knowledges in supporting transformative change

explain what may be required to enable transformative change

Prescribed learning resources

Prescribed Texts
  • No prescribed texts.

Prescribed Texts
  • No prescribed texts.

Prescribed Learning Resources may change in future Teaching Periods.