Fall 2018 Seminar in Coastal and Ocean Policy

Syllabus
Seminar in Coastal and Ocean Policy
Dr. Jessica Weinkle, Department of Public and International Affairs, Leutze 260
weinklej@uncw.edu
Office Hours by Appointment

Introduction to this Course
On June 19, 2018, President Trump signed an Executive Order "Regarding Ocean Policy to Advance the Economic, Security, and Environmental Interests of the United States".

As reported by the White House, the Order is intended to,

advance the economic, security, and environmental interests of the United States through improved public access to marine data and information, efficient Federal agency coordination on ocean related matters, and engagement with marine industries, the science and technology community, and other ocean stakeholders, including Regional Ocean Partnerships.

In response, the prestigious journal, Science, reported that the Order  "formally revokes the 2010 oceans policy issued by then-President Barack Obama, and replaces it with a markedly different template for what the government should focus on in managing the nation’s oceans, coastal waters, and Great Lakes." The report includes quotes from Dr. Jane Lubchenco, head of NOAA under the Obama Administration:

The Trump policy “represents a significant step backward, a throwback to the 1960s when the primary focus was on aggressively expanding the use of the ocean with the assumption that it is so immense, so bountiful that it must be inexhaustible... We learned through painful experience that the ocean is indeed exhaustible, but we also learned that if we are smart about how we use the ocean, it can provide a wealth of benefits for decades and decades.”

Obama’s policy had emphasized “stewardship,” she notes—a word not used in the new order. Trump “blatantly rejects this all-important focus on stewardship,” Lubchenco says. “Put another way, the policy reflects a shift from ‘use it without using it up’ to a very short-sighted and cavalier ‘use it aggressively and irresponsibly.’"

This semester we will explore ocean policy from the 1960's through today to better understand what ideological shifts have occurred, if any, and how this has played out in scientific research and policy practice.

Expectations
I expect you to read the assigned material proper to class and participate in class discussions and assignments. Your thoughtful preparation for class is essential for the success of your classmates.

This course is structured as a seminar. This means that much of class time is in the form of discussion based on the assigned texts. Therefore, much of the substantive material brought into class for discussion is done so by you through active participation and thoughtful consideration.

During class time, I expect you to listen closely to others, think critically and be respectful of fellow classmates. Some may be sensitive to certain topics; viewpoints may clash. Everyone is entitled to an opinion. Classroom discussion is meant to allow for an open exchange of ideas and for you to hear a variety of viewpoints.

Please feel free to contact me. I am happy to discuss ideas, class projects and hear your thoughts on the readings and the course.

Required Reading
As assigned throughout the course.

How you are gradedParticipation 20%
Assignments 20%
Case Studies 20%
Final Project 40%

I am the subjective judge of participation and work quality. As this course has students from a wide variety of backgrounds with different strengths and weaknesses, I am more interested in your effort over time than your reaching an arbitrary benchmark. Students who participate fully and demonstrate evolution in their knowledge and critical thinking will do well in the course.
Grading Scale

The UNCW graduate school does not permit graduate degrees between a C and an F. As such the grading scale is as follows:

A 100% - 95%
A- 94% - 90%
B+ 89% - 87%
B 86% - 84%
B- 83%- 80%
C+ 79% - 77%
C 76% - 72%
F 71%- 0

Things You Will Do In This Class
Every week, unless otherwise noted in class, you will have either
a writing assignment of 1-2 pages
a case study of 2-3 pages

Your final project will be discussed later in class. It will be a writing assignment of about 10 pages.

All assignments are single spaced, 1-inch margins, 12 point font. Please use an appropriate font other than Calibri.

Tentative Schedule
The schedule for this course will evolve over time. I will announce and discuss updates with you in class. Readings will be posted here on Canvas. However, I request all writing assignments to be turned into me, as hard copies, during the corresponding class session.