Course Focus: Political Background of Environmental Management and Environmental Advocacy
Sara Tjossem’s policy course transforms students’ environmental protection enthusiasm into action.
Sara Tjossem is a senior lecturer and associate course director Environmental Science and Policy Public Administration Master’s Program (MPA-ESP). Her teaching and research interests focus on the intersection of science and society, agriculture, marine science, and the development of environmental movements and policies. This fall, Tjossem offered two elective courses: ENVP U6320 Political background of environmental management and INAF U6087 Environmental Advocacy: From Interest to Action.
Tjossem has long had an emotional affinity for nature and the natural world. During his undergraduate studies at Swarthmore College, Tjossem liked the humanities and sciences. She decided to become a student of biology and hope to keep in touch with the natural world as a scientist.
Tjossem continued this enthusiasm in Cornell University’s graduate courses in ecology and evolutionary biology, but she decided not to pursue science directly, but wanted to convey the excitement of science to others. Therefore, it was during her PhD program (also at Cornell University) that Tjossem was able to study how the world changes, the destruction of the planet, and how to effectively deal with these issues through policy and communication.
The teaching of the Colombian ESP project combines the different interests of Dr. Tjossem. The MPA-ESP project reflects her interest and her belief that students should understand the human response to the natural and architectural world. She believes that the best way is through environmental policy. By learning science, policy, and management skills, students can better protect all parts of the planet. The following is a summary of her two courses this fall.
ENVP U6320 Political background of environmental management
Professor Tjossem’s first special elective course focuses on the political operation of environmental management. When asked about this course, Tjossem said that many students may have difficulty observing the natural world and want to know how we have this dysfunctional relationship with the environment. The history of environmental policy is relatively short. Some policies are good, some are problematic, and some have unintended consequences. Interest groups, stakeholders, and different political backgrounds come together to see how we think the world works and how we should interact.
The course uses Deborah Stone’s book “Policy Paradox: The Art of Political Decision-making” as the backbone. The book is easy to understand and uses many easy-to-understand metaphors to help students realize why policy making should not be seen as a frustrating process, but as an interesting participatory process. In addition, the course helps explain why the art of compromise is essential for policy making. It has gone through many different sports, shaping the managed environment.
INAF U6087 Environmental Advocacy: From Interest to Action
Tjossem accepts input from students to help shape all of her courses. She is willing to accept the enthusiasm of students and incorporate it into class topics and assignments. This course is specifically designed around students’ environmental interests. These benefits can be derived from environmental justice or injustice, as long as it belongs to the field of policy information. This course introduces environmental history, puts students’ contemporary interests in context, and then further enriches them with how to realize these passions.
Last year was the first year that this course was offered. It contains a wealth of information from books, treaties, periodicals, and many other sources. One student focused on the topic of climate refugees-who knows them and whether there will be many people in the near future. This student’s research was used to help inform the work of leading NGOs on this issue.
Tjossem said: “I think we are on the cusp of a great social awakening, and many parts of society believe that we cannot get rid of the biosphere.” Rejuvenation or the realization that the individual is the steward of our planet is the most important thing. She explained that attention to the well-being of the planet can be used to form a sense of management that can be cultivated in many ways. She insists that there are many ways to interact with the natural world. Everyone has something. Learning how to combine student interests with how to create a better world is the key.
Tjossem believes that these courses can help students who want to do something to satisfy their lives. When people work for the class, they can learn more about themselves, learn topics, and become part of a larger community of activists and professionals. She cares about her students, their career trajectories, and tries to help them figure out how to shape their journey. A better understanding of the environmental management process will help everyone. Today, facing increasingly severe challenges, fortunately, we have excellent new tools and ancient tools to solve our relationship with the environment.
Publicity classes are generally about the root causes of environmental injustice and the climate crisis movement. Although these topics may be bleak and uncertain about what to do next, Tjossem points out that her students have brought hope and optimism to her through their passion to help the planet and its inhabitants.
Both courses are available for all graduate-level students to register. Historically, they have mixed enrollment within the university. Any questions about the course can be sent to Professor Tjossem: sft2101@columbia.edu.
Taylor Goto is Climate and Society Program, Class of 2021.
If you are interested in learning more about the MPA-ESP program, please contact Assistant Director Stephanie Hoyt (sah2239@columbia.edu) Or join one of our Upcoming information conference.
