DRAFT Syllabus

 CDAE 195: Sustainable Development in Small Island States: St. Lucia
Fall, 2004, and January, 2-16, 2005
Time, Place: Lectures, Wednesdays,  4:00-5:30, L300 Lafayette
Instructors: Jay Ashman 
Joshua Farley
Offices:  203 Morrill Hall
 205H Morrill Hall
Office hours: TBA
 10:30-12:00 MWF
 (in 590 Main until construction stops on Morrill)
Telephone: 656-0862
 656-2943
E-mail: Jay.Ashman@uvm.edu  Joshua.farley@uvm.edu
Teaching assistants: Katy VanDis kvandis@uvm.edu, Juan Merino jmerino@uvm.edu

Course Summary
Course objectives
Topics to Be Covered
Resources
Course Requirements
Grading
Field projects (including project steps)
Tentative schedule

Course summary

This course is a general introduction to the problems of sustainable development on small island developing states utilizing a case study of St. Lucia, West Indies.  The course culminates in a two-week field component in St. Lucia, working with local partners to solve pressing problems which they have identified.  During weekly meetings during the semester, we will go over critical background information about the island, and do preparatory work for our field projects. 
Field projects will follow two different tracks.  One track will work with the Ministry of Commerce, Investment, and Consumer Affairs on issues they identify related to consumer affairs and small enterprise development. The second track will focus on ecological economics-- the integration of ecological sustainability, social justice and economic efficiency. This track will collaborate with the Ministry of Social Transformation, the Department of Heritage Tourism, and/or community organizations. We will stress complementarities between these two tracks more than differences. For example, a project working with the "buy local" campaign would integrate material from consumer affairs, business, tourism and agriculture.  In both cases, our goal will be to help solve pressing problems identified by our local partners. 
 
Problem solving courses are different from traditional courses for several reasons.  While academics in universities study disciplines, people in the real worldstudy problems.  That is, problems do not respect the artificial boundaries of disciplines, and complex problems can rarely be understood from within the narrow framework of a single discipline.  In addition to the skills of disciplinary analysis, this course will focus on the skills of interdisciplinary synthesis, and the communication of research results to decision makers who can use them.  

Course objectives:

Our overall objective for this course is to learn about the problems confronting the sustainable development in St. Lucia, potential solutions, and the relevance of both to understanding problems of sustainability at larger scales.

 Specific objectives required to achieve this include:
1.  Understand the system in which the specific problem occurs, i.e. learn about St. Lucia
2.  Developing interdisciplinary problem solving skills
3.  Understanding the interconnections between ecosystems, urban systems and agricultural systems
4.  Contributing to solving a real life problem
5.  Learning effective communication skills to help translate research into action.

Topics to Be Covered

As we stated above, in this course we will study a specific problem, then decide what we need to learn to solve it.  We will however study the following topics to better understand the system in which the problem occurs.
1.   Political, social, economic and ecological background to St. Lcia
2.   Systems thinking
3.    An introduction to consumer affairs
4.   The impacts of transition to a single market economy in the Caribbean
4.    The distribution of wealth and resources
5.    Agricultural Issues and Policies
6.    Resource/Environmental Issues and Policies
7.    Community Development Issues and Policies
8.    Rainforest to reef field trip
9.    If there is time, we will do a short section on international trade, which is highly relevant to the themes of the course

Resources:

Local Partners:

We will be working closely with ministers and government officials from the department of consumer affairs, the department of heritage tourism, and the ministry of social transformation. We will update this section as we get more information.

Workbook in applied problem solving approaches to ecological economics

This is a draft of a forthcoming textbook by Josh Farley, Jon Erickson and Herman Daly.  It lays out an approach to applied problem solving projects intended to help you set up a problem, analyze it, synthesize the elements of your analysis into a more complete understanding of the whole, then communicate your results to those who can act on the information.  

Lectures:

Introduction to applied problem solving
Sustainability Science
Consumer protection

Web Sites:

Island resources foundation
Sustainable Living in Small Island Developing States
Small Island Developing States Network
SIDSNet success stories
Organization of Eastern Caribbean States, St. Lucia
Ministry of Commerce, Investment, and Consumer Affairs
Ministry of Social Transformation
Heritage Tourism Programme
Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry and the Environment
CANARI (The Caribbean Natural Resources Institute) CANARI seeks to create avenues for the equitable participation and effective collaboration of Caribbean
communities and institutions in managing the use of natural resources critical to development.  This is a great resource.
Consumers International
www.stluciamirroronline.com

Student provided links

Consumers Discuss Trade on World Consumer Rights Day  Abstract    http://www.commerce.gov.lc/press_releases/Consumers%20discuss%20trade.htm

Information for Decision making for Sustainable Development for Caribbean Small Island Developing States (SIDS)  Abstract http://www.un.org/esa/sustdev/natlinfo/indicators/idsd/project/summary.htm

Perspective on Rural Land Management and Soil and Water Conservation in St. Lucia  http://www.slumaffe.org/rural_land_management.pdf
    Abstract: This article provides a historical perspective of agriculture and soil conservation on St. Lucia, and poses questions of how to put policy into action and slow or stop the land degradation.  It presents an interesting solution.  The author suggests that getting farmers and communities to rally around the issue of water security could lead to activism for changes in land management and advocation of sustainable farming practices.  In this approach, sustainable land management is "piggy-backed" on a water management theme.  The hope is
that farmers and landowners would be enticed to make changes for their communities, and not just for economic reasons.

<>Public Support Needed for Successful Fire Service http://www.stlucia.gov.lc/pr2004/september/public_support_needed_for_successful_fire_service.htm
   This article is about how The St. Lucian government is calling upon its citizens to help in the restructuring of their fire department, Saint Fire. The government is asking for citizen’s support in many issues dealing with fire prevention and emergency services. One main thing they are asking for is cooperation with fire and emergency officials. They are there to help the people, but they can not put forth a full effort without the people’s cooperation. They are asking the people to cease unnecessary phone calls to 911 and to answer questions correctly about emergencies when asked. Officials are also trying to improve the public’s awareness of emergency vehicles on the road.
Considering the growth and development to St. Lucia improvements must be made to SaintFire. A strategic plan was created in 2000, and government officials are trying to achieve its objectives. By the end of the year they plan to build a new station in Micoud. They are also planning on creating a new head facility in Castries. This will definitely help with technology. The government has also secured land to build a training facilitynear the Stadium in Vieux Fort. This will be very beneficial considering firefighters must train overseas. These improvements to this sector will certainly speed up emergency services and also provide more qualified people todo the job.

Police brutality exposes our mental slavery By Jessica Joseph Abstract: http://stluciastar.com/midweek/wedSept1-04/news2.htm#news3

Course Requirements:

During the semester, attendance at the weekly class will be mandatory.  Students who fail to attend classes without prior approval of faculty will not be allowed to accompany the course to St. Lucia.  Students will be responsible for initiating their research under the guidance of the professors, but our approach will be more 'guide by the side' than 'sage on the stage.'  We will stress communication skills, and there will be at least 3 oral presentations in front of the class. The final presentation will take place in St. Lucia, and we expect our project partners to be in the audience. It must be a professional quality presentation.  We are going to St. Lucia to learn and contribute to solving real life problems, and expect you to devote all your energies to this for at least 8 hours per day.  You will be free to enjoy the island on evenings and weekends, on the condition that you are fully alert during course time.

Tentative Grading Scheme:

The bulk of your grade will be determined by your course project
Class Participation:     20%
Project proposals:      15%
Other assignments:      12.5%
Final Project:             25%
Presentations:            20%
Peer evaluations:         2.5%

Class Policies:

1) Attendance is mandatory during the semester
2) You will essentially be working as consultants while in St. Lucia.  You must act professionally and dress appropriately. Appropriate dress depends on your project and partners.
3)  MORE TO COME

Field Projects (UNDER CONSTRUCTION!)


We will describe the projects in detail here as we develop them more fullly.

PROJECT STEPS

Project contract
Initial literature review

Tentative Schedule


Problem solving courses are by their nature flexible.  We may change this schedule significantly as the course proceeds. We will try to provide detailed outlines of what to expectc at least a week ahead of schedule, so you know what to expect.

September-December, Wednesdays 4-5:30

week 1:

A. Individual introductions
•    Who are you?
•    What’s your major?
•    Why are you taking this class?
•    Share something about an international experience you’ve had (even if it’s just a family vacation in the Bahamas) and something you learned from it

B. History of the UVM/St. Lucia relationship
•    American Council on Consumer Interests (J. Kolodinsky)
•    St. Lucia training in Vermont, 2002 (J. Ashman)
•    St. Kitts and Nevis training in Vermont, 2003 (J. Ashman)
•    5th Annual Caribbean Consumer Conference in St. Lucia, 2003 (L. Dobos)
•    January, 2005 visit to St. Lucia (J. Ashman, J. Farley, D. Baker, M. Ashman)

C. Where is St. Lucia? What is it like?
•    Maps of St. Lucia
•    Images of St. Lucia

D. St. Lucia Ministry of Commerce, Investment & Consumer Affairs website
http://commerce.gov.lc/
•    Mission statement
•    Priority areas
•    Eco-tourism design and marketing concepts
•    Hire-purchase consultations
•    Consumer Affairs

Assignment

week 2:

Lecture topics

A. Five 5 minute student presentations
B. Introduction to applied problem-solving and projects-based coursework
C.  Brief Intro to potential project topics. 

Assignment

6 students must read The STruggle for Survival and make a brief presentation on one issue
All students must find a good reading on St. Lucia and/or the project topic that most interests them.  Turn in electronic copy that we’ll post on course web site (can drop it off at the library to put on course reserve, and they’ll scan it for you), along with a brief summary of the reading (no more than 350 words).

week 3:

Lecture topics

A. 6 three to five minute student presentations
B. Brief introduction to ecological economics and consumer affairs.

Activity

Brain storming session that leads to group meetings and team formation during the week

Assignment

Meet with other people interested in your project. Flesh it out, and prepare a five minute presentation

week 4:

Lecture topics

Finish intro to ecological economics
More detailed intro to consumer affairs

Activities

Presentation of project topics
Finalize project teams. After hearing presentations, students can choose different teams.

Assignments

Begin meeting in group. 
Work with Josh and Jay to contact partners in St. Lucia. 
Write up a draft contract listing group members, field partner, and brief description of what you hope to achieve.

week 5:

Lecture topics

How do we go about solving a problem?

Assignment

Contract due.
Start literature review on chosen project topic
Assigned readings for discussion group

week 6: 

Activity

Discussion groups on Sustainability: 6 readings, 6 perspectives.  One person from each group does each reading.

        Group 1: Julian Simon, selections from The Ultimate Resource 2 Princeton University Press: Princeton  1997.  Introduction: What are the  Real Population and Resource Problems?  Chapter 3: Can the supply of Natural Resources--Especially Energy-- Really be Infinite? Yes!
        Group 2: Robert Solow.  The Economics of Resources or the Resources of Economics. The American Economic Review, Vol. 64, No. 2 May, 1974, 1-14
        Group 3: E.O. Wilson  (2002) The Bottleneck. Scientific American, February, 2002.
        Group 4:   Paul Hawken, Natural Capitalism Chapter 15
        Group 5:  Ehrlich, P. , G. Daily, S. Daily, N. Myers and J. Salzman (1997) No Middle Way on the Environment. The Atlantic Monthly, 1997
        Group 6: Lester Brown, Eco-Economy, Chapter 1: The Economy and the Earth (full citation will follow)

Political economy of St. Lucia: Distribution of wealth, power structures, current trends, etc.
St. Lucia in a global economy

Assignment

Draft literature review due, with correct citation format
Begin integrating lit review into a statement of the problem. Start broad, narrow down to specific problem in St. Lucia, then conclude with specific goal that you described in your contract.

week 7: 

Lecture topics

Methodologies in ecological economics and consumer affairs.

Assignment

Write up objectives required to achieve goal.  Begin thinking about appropriate methodologies to achieve those objectives.

week 8: 

Lecture topics

St. Lucia as a complex system (ecosystem goods and services, international trade, consumer psychology, etc.)

Assignment

Statement of problem due
Assigned reading for discussion group
Prepare five minute presentation on problem

week 9:

Activity

Brief presentations of problem and brainstorming session

Assignment

Project proposals

week 10:

Activity

Discussion groups on development: 6 readings, 6 perspectives.  One person from each group does each reading.

Assignment

Project proposals due: Brief description of the problem, moving from general to specific.  Goal statement of what your group wants to achieve.  List of specific objectives required to achieve goal.  Methodology that explains how you will accomplish each objective.

week 11

Lecture topics

Communicating results

weeks 12-13:

Presentations (6 groups, each group has 20 minutes to present proposal)


January 2-16

St. Lucia.  Minimum 8 hrs/day, 5 days a week.