MA Environment Society and Culture

at University of Essex

How do we as human beings shape and impact the environment? What are the implications of legal and business practices, public policy and cultural production on our surroundings? What is the connection between local actions and global outcomes, and vice versa?

Environmental challenges, such as climate change, deforestation and biodiversity loss, are the defining crises of our time. We’re committed to helping you build the vital skills and knowledge you need to think critically about environmental issues and to respond to them sensitively. We’re interested in studying how diverse cultures and societies interact with the environment locally and globally. From the use of technology, to consumer habits and political conflicts, we examine the influence human activities have on the environment past, present and future.

Throughout the course we cover topics including but not limited to:

• Sustainability
• Cultural diversity and human rights
• Environmental philosophy and ethics
• Environmental policy and activism
• Psychogeography
• Nature writing and the arts

Understanding our impacts on the environment requires a diverse skillset. Based in our Interdisciplinary Studies Centre, you will be taught by experts from a range of disciplines across the humanities, social sciences and science and health, giving you a true interdisciplinary approach to the issue.