SCIS 315
For academic year 2025
Histories of people,environment and science in the Asia Pacific
Ever wondered why Aotearoa New Zealand has so many farms,or why we are constantly dealing with problems related to introduced pests? Do you want to know the origins of our reliance on fossil fuels and the environmental crisis? This course places environmental, scientific and technological changes within wider historical contexts,mainl from the Asia-Pacific.You willexplore a range of topics,such as introduced plants and animals and their environmental impacts;industrial forms of production and technology,and environmental impacts;western medicine and other ways of ensuring health and well-being;museums,environment and science;conservation and development;genetic organisms.
Course content
There are five content modulesin the course.Approximately 30 hours of work is expected for each of the five modules,with a total of 150 hours over the course.This includes viewing lectures,reading,researching and writing assignments,completing quizzes,and participating in the discussion forum.
Grading wil occur through assessment of material submitted in the quizzes and wrtten assignments.No face-to-facetime is expected, although direct interaction with the course coordinator,lecturers,and tutors is continually available,and encouraged,through the online interface,and during office hours.
lf you haven't quite got enough 200 level points,please contact the course coordinator for a chat and we may be able to waive the prerequisites on a case-by-case basis.
Course learning objectives
Students who pass this course should be able to:
1 Critically examine current local and global scientific, environmental and technological issues in a wider historical context.
2 Evaluate the role that different political ideas, cultural perspectives and economic imperatives have had on environmental, scientific and technological change, including where cultural perspectives have implications for mätauranga Mäori.
3 Present complex environmental, scientific and technological ideas and theories through well structured, dlearly argued, writing.