Civil Society and the Environment
This MIT graduate seminar looks at how citizens, nongovernmental organizations, and social movements shape environmental governance at the international, national, and local levels. Students engage with theories of civil society development and social movement mobilization, and examine how NGOs relate to governments and corporations, with particular attention to questions of NGO legitimacy and accountability. Case studies of community and NGO responses to specific environmental issues anchor the theoretical readings and are used to assess real impacts on environmental policy and planning. Materials available through MIT OpenCourseWare include the syllabus, readings list, and assignments used in the actual course. No instructor lectures are included; the course is self-paced and free to audit, with no certificate offered.