Environment, Resources, Security (709IR)

30 credits, Level 7 (Masters)

Spring teaching

What is the link between climate change and conflict? What causes water and food scarcity? Can securitisation and militarisation help deal with the climate crisis and mass extinction? How are today’s ecological crises connected to colonialism and capitalism? Can green growth address the climate crisis? And what resources, which environment, and whose security are we talking about?

These are the key questions you’ll investigate in this module. We reflect on major theoretical approaches and look at case studies that show current challenges linked to environmental security, green militarisation and resource conflict. We examine the local and global causes and effects of these conflicts, and the often‑assumed links between climate change, conflict and migration. Environmental security has long had a marginal place in International Relations and security studies. The module ends by asking whether this marginalisation is warranted.

Contact hours and workload

This module is approximately 300 hours of work. This breaks down into about 33 hours of contact time and about 267 hours of independent study. The University may make minor variations to the contact hours for operational reasons, including timetabling requirements.

We regularly review our modules to incorporate student feedback, staff expertise, as well as the latest research and teaching methodology. We’re planning to run these modules in the academic year 2026/27. However, there may be changes to these modules in response to feedback, staff availability, student demand or updates to our curriculum.

We’ll make sure to let you know of any material changes to modules at the earliest opportunity.