This course begins with a brief survey of the formal institutions and processes that are involved in the consideration, passage, and implementation of environmental policy, with some emphasis on Environmental Impact Statement review processes. It focuses on a critical review of alternative theoretical models that explain public attitudes, particularly the values and ethics of the public, towards environmental protection, and research data that documents these attitudes. Students will choose an environmental policy of interest, investigate its legislative history, and develop their skills in documenting attitudinal research towards that policy. The course includes consideration of how environmental policy processes affect democratic capacity building, environmental education, and the treatment of animals, as broader aspects of environmental policy.
