University of Texas at Austin: May Term - The Politics of Protecting the Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef (GBR) is iconic and imperiled. On a grand scale, it exemplifies how scientific evidence, economic calculations, and political imperatives combine and compete to shape environmental policy. The course introduces students to the complex world of environmental politics and policy. It showcases the trade-offs of environmental protection, explores the politicization of science, and illustrates how electoral politics and political institutions affect policy outcomes. Students will learn firsthand about the competing interests that have a stake in GBR-policy by personally meeting with people who represent these interests-such as representatives from various local industries, environmental activists, politicians, bureaucrats, scientists, Indigenous peoples, and other local residents.