Gender and Sustainability

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This course will explore and analyze the intersectionality between gender, socio-economic discrimination, and sustainable development. There will be a special emphasis on the Latin American region and in particular the case study of Costa Rica. The local and regional cases studies will be put in their global, historical and present-day contexts. Students will finish the course with a profound understanding of the situation of Latin American and Caribbean women in relation to the environment and gender dynamics. Major challenges, advances, and the overall unfolding of sustainability with the key axis of equality will lead the discussion.

This is a theoretical-practical course and explores/responds to the following inquiry according 
to the professional/disciplinary profile:
What is the environmental problematic in relation to gender and how are the issues being 
confronted within the merging contexts of the sustainable development goals? What are 
the case study advances and limits in relation to the Latin American and Costa Rican 
context, and how are a variety of sectors formulating and responding with solutions? 
In order to respond this question, we will study the following generative topics:
o An introduction to the main concepts in relation to gender and sustainability. 
o Brief history and development of feminism (regionally and globally).
o An introduction to the global and regional mechanisms in the search for gender equity.
o Study of International conventions and agreements, CEDAW and more. 
o Local, regional and global institutions. 
o Political and legal frameworks for understanding gender and sustainability.
o Social movements and their agendas. 
o Study of vulnerable groups, indigenous women, and violence against women.
o Gender issues and access to the land and natural resources. 
o The feminization of poverty.

COURSE CONTENT
Theme 1: Introduction to the central concepts in relation to gender and sustainability.
o Definitions and discussion of gender, equality, equity, sustainability.
o Definition and discussion of “machismo and marianismo”. 
Theme 2: Feminisms.
o The history and development of feminism, the types. Globally and regionally. 
Theme 3: Introduction to the regional and global mechanisms in the search for equity and
equality.
o Study and analysis of international conventions, treaties, CEDAW and more…
Theme 4: Theoretical and conceptual framework: the most relevant components for the 
analysis of gender.
o Local, regional and global exploration and overview.
o UN Development Goals 
Theme 5: Local, regional, and global institutions. 
o Local, regional, and global NGOs.
Theme 6: Political and legal frameworks for understanding gender and sustainability.
o Case study focus: Women, human rights, and access to a healthy environment.
Theme 7: Social movements and their agendas. Sheroes and leaders.
o Women, participation, and sustainability.
o Women and political participation.
Theme 8: Study of vulnerable groups, indigenous women, and violence against women.
o The feminization of poverty, women and violence.
o The case of Costa Rica – Human rights, equity issues and youth.
o The case of Costa Rica – Indigenous women
Theme 9: Gender and Access to Land and Resources
o Agriculture - conventional and organic
o Gender, risk and climate change
o Women and ecotourism
o Women and management of the forests. 
Theme 10: Conclusions and future outlooks
o Sustainable Development Goals – gender advances and limits and challenges. 

RUBRIC WIEGHT/GRADE
Participation, reading and discussion work. 20% (Mind-maps, summaries
= 2% per week´s reading assignment and ten in total)
Two Case Studies: (15% each) Possible choices:
o Women and violence
o Equity issues and youth
o Indigenous women and environmental justice issues
o Women and management of the forests. 
Two Fieldtrips Surveys/Activities (design and application) and 
presentation of findings/ results. (5% each plus 5% of active and alert 
attitude during fieldtrips): 15%
Essay and presentation: Theme of choice in relation to Gender and Sustainability: 15%
Group Work Activity and Report: 20%
sustainability 
TOTAL 100%