Capitalism and the Making and Remaking of the Landscape

Course Overview

Have you ever looked around you and wondered why certain landscapes look the way they do? Or how and why they have changed so dramatically over time? This course encourages students to think critically and question the environment around them by examining different places that have been scarred, destroyed and transformed through capitalism. It provides an introduction to radical geographic theory such as Marxism and explores political questions and struggles over land. By engaging with case-study based learning, students will form an understanding of capitalism and how it shapes the environment around them. This course will cover topics such as the Highland Clearances, privatisation of public housing, the marketing of tourist destinations and the valuing of nature.