Professor Idil Boran
iboran@yorku.ca

Virtual office hours:

Wednesday 12:00-13:00 and by appointment

This course offers a comprehensive exploration of political philosophy with a focus on governance in the

Anthropocene—an era where human activity touches every part of the Earth system.

We examine foundational themes such as democracy, justice, power, legitimacy, and social movements,

while engaging with emerging concepts such as planetary boundaries and the

Sustainable Development Goals.

Students will critically analyze how political ideas intersect with global challenges including climate change

, ecological degradation, and social inequality, equipping them to think creatively about governance

for a sustainable and just future.

Technical requirements for taking the course:

To fully participate in this course, students need to:

• attend lectures in person (attendance will be taken)
• use eClass
• read the assigned readings prior to coming to class
• participate in classroom learning activities—classroom learning activities

include three structured workshops—workshop attendance is required

and participation is expected

• write all in-class tests, complete all online quizzes and all assignments
• complete the tests, quizzes, and assignments on time

Here are some useful links for student computing information, resources and help:

Student Guide to Moodle

Zoom@YorkU Best Practices 

Zoom@YorkU User Reference Guide

Computing for Students Website

Student Guide to eLearning at York University

• Dryzek, J. S., & Pickering, J. (2019). The Politics of the Anthropocene. Oxford University Press

E-book available at York University Libraries.

https://ocul-yor.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/fulldisplay?docid=cdi_askewsholts_vlebooks_9780192537461&context=PC&vid=01OCUL_YOR:YOR_DEFAULT&lang=en&search_scope=MyInst_and_CI&adaptor=Primo%20Central&tab=Everything&query=any,contains,politics%20of%20the%20anthropocene%20john%20s%20dryzek%20and%20jonathan%20pickering&offset=0

Passport York login required.

• Supplementary readings (TBA)

This course is delivered in class. In person attendance is required. Students use eClass to stay up

to date, for resources and to complete some tests and assignments.

By the end of this course, students will be able to:

1. Describe key concepts in political philosophy and situate them within the context of planetary challenges, including climate and ecosystem crises, human and environmental well-being, and structural inequalities.
2. Build a conceptual toolbox for addressing planetary and social issues together, connecting theory to practice.
3. Develop skills for engaging with contemporary research on governance, including the roles of global, transnational, national, and local actors and institutions.
4. Cultivate critical thinking and problem-solving skills to analyze complex, interconnected global issues characteristic of the Anthropocene.

Course policies

Class attendance is required in this course. Students are expected to read assigned readings prior to class.

Assignments are due on the due date. There is a 48-hour grace period for assignments without penalty.  Late assignments will be accepted during a late submission period of seven calendar days (one week) following the due date, for a flat penalty of 10%.  After the late submission period, late essays cannot be accepted.  If there is a case of long-term illness or emergency, official documentation will be necessary and will be subject to approval by the professor.

Note that missing a test or classroom exercise with a participation grade nullifies the grade for the test or graded exercise. Providing a doctor’s note is necessary in cases of unforeseen acute illness or medical emergency. For other forms of emergencies, supporting official documentation is required. No accommodation can be provided without documentation. However, a doctor’s note is not an automatic pathway to reschedule a test. It is subject to review and approval by the instructor. Approval depends on the strength of documented evidence.

Tests and assignments are graded fairly and with due diligence. Feedback is provided by the Course Director. Regrading can be considered only in cases of calculation error.

All accommodation requests made through Student Accessibility Services (SAS) will be honoured.

Further information on Student Accessibility Services at York University can be found at: https://accessibility.students.yorku.ca/about-us

https://students.yorku.ca/accessibility/new-to-our-office

Please read York University’s Academic Honesty Policy below carefully.