Module Content 

This course touches on themes in political ecology, environmental anthropology, the anthropology of food and the anthropology of development through a detailed exploration of the world’s fisheries; from the fisherfolk that harvest them to the people around the globe that consume them. Along the way, the course critically examines: The global fish ‘crisis’ and prospects for global food security and supply; conservation v’s development discourse in resource management; scientific & traditional management of natural resources; certification/eco-labelling and the ‘green’ consumer; commodity chains; ecology of small scale fishers groups; poverty, development and livelihoods; Each student on the course also becomes a member of CARP-London (Cities Aquatic Resource Project – London) an initiative which both trains undergraduates in research and builds our understanding of the production, supply and consumption of aquatic resources in our urban centres- past, present and future. This is a chance for students to get involved in real research and build their research skills portfolio. 



Indicative topics 


 The global fish ‘crisis’ and food security 
 
 
 Conservation versus development discourse in resource management 
 
 
 Western scientific versus indigenous approaches to environmental management 
 

 Certification, eco-labelling and the green consumer 
 
 
 Poverty & livelihoods of small-scale fishers in the Global South 
 
 
 Research methods, project design and the Cities Aquatic Resources Project 
 
Teaching delivery 

Weekly 2-hour sessions are supplemented with a one-hour tutorial each week. The two-hour sessions are likely to include lectures, a film, a role play and other group activities. All tutorials are run by Dr Caroline Garaway and will involve discussion around a particular theme each week for which students are obligated to read and present articles. Whilst complementary to the lectures being taught, these tutorials cover different material to the lectures to broaden understanding and contextualise the theory described in lectures. 

All students will conduct their own research project which forms part of the assessment for this module. In order to support this, there will be additional research methods training (1/2 hrs total) for those who feel they would benefit from it for their research projects. Also, in the second half of the term there are 2 additional student consultation and feedback hours per week specifically for ANTH0065 students to come and discuss their projects, if they wish. Students choose their own projects in consultation with the lecturer, but they all come under the broad remit of the Cities Aquatic Resource Use project. The projects can build on the work of students in previous years or can take the research in new directions. In previous years CARP has concentrated on mapping the travels of the Thames Estuary shellfish from the mudflats in Kent and Essex to the upmarket shellfish bars in Soho, and everywhere it goes in between. Along this chain it passes through a multitude of stakeholders all with their own histories and stories to tell. The anthropological study of this ‘commodity’ chain is part of the lecturer’s own field research. Students can employ a range of methods in their research. In the past these have included archival research, surveys, key informant interviews, secondary data analysis, ethnographic fieldwork, policy analysis and phenomenological research. 



Learning Outcomes 

By the end of this module you will 


 Understand the global status and importance of fisheries both now and in the past and have a good understanding of all the major issues surrounding fisheries as we move further into the 21st century. 
 
 
 Understand some of the key tensions underlying attempts to achieve environmental sustainability, poverty reduction and economic growth within the sector particularly those between the Global North and South 
 
 
 Understand and be able to articulate the perspectives of all the different stakeholders in the sector 
 
 
 Have practiced a range of skills, particularly during the role play and whilst undertaking your research project 
 

 research skills 
 

 research design, 
 
 
 writing research diaries 
 
 
 data collection 
 
 
 analysis and write up 
 

 oral and written communication skills including 
 

 Presenting arguments 
 
 
 Negotiating 
 
 
 Writing blogs for a non-academic / non-specialist audience 
 

 Critical evaluation and self-reflection 
 

 Teamwork (role play) 
 

 Resilience, time -management and adaptability (during research project)