Module GEOG3621: NATURAL HAZARDS IN A VULNERABLE WORLD

Department: Geography

GEOG3621: NATURAL HAZARDS IN A VULNERABLE WORLD

Prerequisites

• Any Level 2 Geography module

Corequisites

• None

Excluded Combination of Modules

• None

Aims

• This is an interdisciplinary module that aims to integrate physical and human geography into a singular framework for conceptualising and understanding natural hazards, social vulnerability and the resultant risks.
• The core aims of the module are:
• To provide an understanding of the concepts and contexts of hazard, vulnerability and risk
• To introduce students to a range of natural hazards and the differing responses to risk
• To explore the ways in which risks are shaped by the vulnerabilities and resilience of communities that have to live with them and the range of approaches used to manage and mitigate hazard and resultant risks
• To provide a range of methods for quantifying and mapping hazards and vulnerabilities
• To provide students the opportunity to develop an integrated understanding of hazard, risk and vulnerability that draws from both physical and human geography

Content

• HAZARD, RISK AND VULNERABILITY: CONCEPTUAL AND EMPIRICAL FOUNDATIONS
• Physical and social science approaches to hazard, vulnerability and risk
• Sources of hazards, vulnerabilities and risks
• Types and typologies of hazard vulnerabilities and risks
• Disaster risk reduction / management
• Social, cultural, and political responses to hazards vulnerabilities and risks
• Temporal and spatial scales in hazard, vulnerability and risk
• Assessing hazard, vulnerability, risk
• Critical perspectives in hazard, vulnerability and risk
• CASE STUDIES OF HAZARDS AND RISKS (these are indicative, thereby allowing us to modify content in response to recent global events if appropriate)
• Floods and storms
• Landslides and earthquakes
• Volcanic eruptions
• Pollution
• Hurricanes and cyclones
• Climate change
• Wildfire

Learning Outcomes

• On successful completion of the module students will be able to:
• Describe the nature of hazards and the links between hazard, risk and vulnerability
• Relate wider conceptual debates to a range of specific hazards and case studies
• Appreciate the importance of geographical and historical context, in understanding hazard and risk
• Understand at a conceptual and practical level effective coping strategies for living with hazards, risk and vulnerability
• Understand the challenges and opportunities of integrating human and physical geography in respect of hazard, risk, and vulnerability

• On successful completion of the module students will be able to:
• Relate general principles to specific situations including case studies of specific hazards and risks
• Analyse the complex interactions between natural and social systems

• On successful completion of the module students will be able to:
• Demonstrate analytical skills and ability to present logical argument

Modes of Teaching, Learning and Assessment and how these contribute to the learning outcomes of the module

• The module is delivered through a range of lectures, workshops and seminars.
• Lectures will provide the conceptual and empirical foundation for the module in line with the aims set out above and including guidance on relating methods to topics of research. These will be provided by a teaching team of Human and Physical geographers to ensure that the links between the two sides of the subject area are made clear.
• The workshops will provide students with the opportunity to focus on aspects of the module material in detail and will include practical aspects.
• The seminars allow for deeper discussion and development on the material covered in the lectures, drawing on further reading.
• The formative report will address key concepts and approaches in natural hazards and social vulnerability and hence provides a solid foundation to the summative assessment.
• The summative assessment is based on an essay informed by a practical workshop project and a module project presented as an extended essay. The workshop essay will examine some of the methodological, social and conceptual issues associated with hazard and risk. The module project essay will allow the students to develop and demonstrate their understanding of basic principles and processes, their understanding of a focused area of hazard, vulnerability and risk and their ability to support their argument with appropriate reference to the general literature and case studies.

Teaching Methods and Learning Hours

Summative Assessment

Formative Assessment:

Formative report, 2 sides A4

■ Attendance at all activities marked with this symbol will be monitored. Students who fail to attend these activities, or to complete the summative or formative assessment specified above, will be subject to the procedures defined in the University's General Regulation V, and may be required to leave the University