This is a mandatory course that builds upon what was learned in ENV1197H in support of students refining and finalizing their intended research topics. This will include developing a research plan for data collection, fieldwork, or equivalent, based on the research proposal submitted in the preceding term. Seminars every two weeks will bring the students together for invited talks from faculty members, who will present examples of recent interdisciplinary-based research projects, including methodological approaches taken and their associated advantages and disadvantages.

This is a required course that MES students will take in the Summer term, working individually with their supervisor. It follows on the development of the research proposal and completion of ENV1197H in the Fall term and the completion of ENV1198H in the Winter term. During the Summer, students will complete their research and write up their thesis by the end of August. The thesis should be no longer than 15,000 words. At the end of the program, students will present their thesis research to faculty and other students at the annual MES Research Showcase.

This course investigates multiple dimensions of environmental justice in reference to a variety of case studies. It examines the justice implications of toxic legacies, and future directions in research and action at a time of many, overlapping environmental crises. Students will analyze how multiple vulnerabilities including racialization, class and gender, intersect with issues like biodiversity loss, climate change, and energy poverty.

The rise of anti-democratic politics and a worsening climate crisis demand critical and interdisciplinary attention across the social sciences and humanities. Through a humanistic social science lens, this course examines today's dual-pronged democratic and climate crisis through the study of theories of democracy, social change, media, and climate justice. In this course, students will engage with a range of classic and contemporary texts from political theory, media studies, the environmental humanities, decolonial studies, and postcolonial theory, among other fields, to understand how today's present conditions of crisis came to be and what can be done about it. Topics to be discussed include: theories of news, media, and democracy; radical democracy and the green energy transition; petro-nationalism and the settler nation-state; digital capitalism, neoliberalism, and authoritarianism today; climate justice and activist media; the pluriverse and decolonization; internationalism and concepts of solidarity across borders.

This course is organized around the idea of "capitalist nature."¹ Specifically, the course is concerned most centrally with six questions: 1) What are the unique political, ecological, and geographical dynamics of environmental change propelled by capital accumulation and the dynamics of specifically capitalist forms of "commodification"? 2) How and why is nature commodified (however partially) in a capitalist political economy, and what are the associated problems and contradictions? 3) How do the contemporary dynamics of environmental change, environmental politics, and environmental justice shape and help us understand transformations in markets, commodity production regimes, and capitalist social relations and institutions more broadly? 4) How can we understand the main currents of policy and regulatory responses to these dynamics? 5) How do prevailing ideas about nature (non-human as well as human) reflect, reinforce, and subvert capital accumulation? 6) Is there or can there be any such thing as "green capitalism"? ¹ O'Connor, M. (1993). On the misadventures of capitalist nature. Capitalism, Nature, Socialism, 4(3), 7-40.

Law, policy, and ethics are key in understanding how we respect, manage, and utilize our environment. This course will introduce students to basic principles of environmental law. What is it? How did it evolve? Does it deal fairly with resource preservation, use, and allocation? Can it deal with complex emerging problems such as climate change, species at risk, accumulation of toxics, urban sprawl and so on?

We will review the state of the environmental law, with an emphasis on topical issues in Toronto, Ontario, and Canada. Throughout the course, students will be asked to consider the ethical foundations for environmental laws, and their capability of addressing today’s challenges. We will also consider how to present information in a legal setting. Students will be required to research and prepare a presentation (online) on a current issue in environmental law. This work will be done individually, and as a group, using the tools available on Quercus.

Freshwater is both plentiful and renewable. Yet, freshwater resources at both the global and local levels are becoming increasingly scarce, partly due to population growth, increasing demands for energy and food, and climate change, and partly due to poor management and policies. We have failed to understand the complexity of water systems…so here we are — in the middle of day zeros, unavailability of safe drinking water, lack of access to sanitation, and increasing contaminants in our water bodies.

The first pillar is to integrate the strong spiritual and cultural connections we have with water especially learning from the indigenous cultures of the world. The second pillar is to invest in understanding the science of water and integrating with innovative technologies. The third pillar is to examine water as an economic good, in terms of demand, supply, and financing. Finally, the fourth pillar is to create and implement effective management and governance policies based on combination of demand side, soft path and integrated watershed management. In the absence of, or weakness in any of the pillars, water sector is vulnerable to continued inequity, depletion and contamination.

This course introduces the principles of environmental toxicology and risk assessment. Study of the basic principles of toxicology, including routes of exposure, dose response, and target organ effects from exposure to environmental toxicants will be covered. The course presents the quantitative methods used to assess the human health risks associated with exposure to toxicants, focusing on the four major components of risk assessment: 1) hazard identification; 2) dose-response assessment; 3) exposure assessment; 4) risk characterization.

Risk communication and public consultation will also be addressed. The course will include an overview of Canadian regulations and policies and their impact on the practical realties facing practitioners, policy makers, and stakeholders. We will explore risk assessment issues related to exposure to contaminated sites, air quality, and projects undergoing Environmental Assessment.

The intent is to make this course hands on and practical so that you are able to participate as a team member conducting human health and ecological risk assessment upon its completion. The course will be based on actual undertakings of Canadian risk assessment projects.

Climate Finance involves the application of new and established financial market instruments and practices to the management of climate change-related risks and investment opportunities, and the incorporation of such factors into stock valuation and selection processes, as well as shareholder engagement strategies. Asset owners and managers, banks, insurance companies, venture capitalists, corporations, and government agencies are becoming increasingly engaged in the financing of climate change mitigation and resilience in order to manage risks and capitalize on new opportunities. This course explores the research, projected outcomes and recommendations from the IPCC, multi-stakeholder initiatives and finance collaborations, and assesses signals of future actions to address them. An in-depth knowledge of financial markets is not required.

Students leaving the course will be able to apply their new knowledge to a variety of career paths. The following professions and/or fields will benefit from a knowledge of climate finance and environmental markets: Financial analyst, portfolio manager, financial product development; Investment and management consultant; Sustainability specialists (especially for firms in high-impact sectors such as oil and gas, forestry, chemicals, metals and mining, and utilities); Commodities trader; Venture capitalist, private equity, or real estate investor; Credit and insurance risk analysts; Investor relations, public relations, communications; Not-for-profit managers and executives.

The objective of the course is to provide students with a firm grounding in the range of issues at stake in climate change and the application of finance to address it. The course will examine how established practices, procedures, and tools from within the mainstream financial and corporate markets are being adapted to integrate a climate lens in the pursuit of financial performance goals from both an investor and corporate perspective.

A course delivered by a graduate faculty member for an individual student, on a topic related to the student's graduate program. Such a course is equivalent in terms of reading, organized academic activities, and written assignments to a regular graduate course. Approval to enroll in this course is given by the graduate unit in which the student is registered and approval from the unit offering the course also is required.

A course delivered by a graduate faculty member for an individual student, on a topic related to the student's graduate program. Such a course is equivalent in terms of reading, organized academic activities, and written assignments to a regular graduate course. Approval to enrol in this course is given by the graduate unit in which the student is registered and approval from the unit offering the course also is required.

A Special Topics course varies from a regular course in that the environment content may vary from offering to offering.

A course delivered by a graduate faculty member for an individual student, on a topic related to the student's graduate program. Such a course is equivalent in terms of reading, organized academic activities, and written assignments to a regular graduate course. Approval to enrol in this course is given by the graduate unit in which the student is registered and approval from the unit offering the course also is required.

A course delivered by a graduate faculty member for an individual student, on a topic related to the student's graduate program. Such a course is equivalent in terms of reading, organized academic activities, and written assignments to a regular graduate course. Approval to enrol in this course is given by the graduate unit in which the student is registered and approval from the unit offering the course also is required.

There is a pressing need to study the complex relationships between the environment and human health, especially as we are increasingly challenged by environmental health issues. This course introduces students to various issues related to environment and health in providing an academic environment of inquiry and dialogue where graduate students from various disciplines can exchange ideas, information and insights.

Through participation in the affiliated public environment and health seminar series and student-led seminars, the aim is to expose the students to the many ways that issues related to the environment and health are framed, examined, discussed, and addressed.

The course will stimulate students to reflect on this diverse discussion and to integrate their work into a broader context and perspective. Students will have the opportunity to explore linkages between environmental factors and health issues as these intersect with environmental and health policy, toxicological impacts, psychosocial factors, economic factors, and ethical and legal issues.

Objectives: Upon course completion, students will: have an understanding of the complex, interdisciplinary nature of environment and health issues; have an understanding of the importance of cross-disciplinary dialogue to fully comprehend how human health and the environment are interconnected and to develop effective interventions; have acquired the skills necessary to research and critically assess scholarly information on topics related to environment and health and to communicate them in a manner that fosters interdisciplinary dialogue and engagement.

The course will introduce students to a wide range of topics and issues as they relate to the environment and health of vulnerable populations. Through readings, course work and discussion, students will explore the concept of vulnerability and the range of intrinsic and extrinsic factors that contribute to disproportionate exposures and health impacts among "at risk" populations. Case studies and topics will be examined to exemplify how and why certain populations may be especially vulnerable to various environmental hazards. Topics for examination will be chosen to demonstrate the wide range of potential human health effects due to chemical and other exposures. Issues related to equity and justice will be critically examined.

Graduate students enrolled in course-based programs in their home unit degree are required to do an internship as part of the Environmental Studies Collaborative Specialization. The purpose of the internship is to provide students with professional work experience involving environmental issues related to their program of study and research. The internship is designed to offer master's degree students from various academic backgrounds an opportunity to expand their interdisciplinary experience at the practical level and turn their theoretical knowledge into practical skills. The experience may be either paid or on a voluntary basis and off-campus internships are strongly recommended for students to gain practical experience. Master's students who are pursuing a course-work stream degree program and do not have an internship requirement built in their home unit degree program shall use the School's designated course code (ENV4444H,Y) when registering on ACORN for the internship.

Graduate students enrolled in course-based programs in their home unit degree are required to do an internship as part of the Environmental Studies Collaborative Specialization. The purpose of the internship is to provide students with professional work experience involving environmental issues related to their program of study and research. The internship is designed to offer master's degree students from various academic backgrounds an opportunity to expand their interdisciplinary experience at the practical level and turn their theoretical knowledge into practical skills. The experience may be either paid or on a voluntary basis and off-campus internships are strongly recommended for students to gain practical experience. Master's students who are pursuing a coursework-stream degree program and do not have an internship requirement built in their home unit degree program shall use the School's designated course code (ENV4444H,Y) when registering on ACORN for the internship.

For students who are required to write a research paper as part of their Collaborative Specialization requirements. The paper must be on an environment related topic and supervised by a faculty member from the home department, preferably a member of the graduate faculty of School of the Environment. If your home department does not have an established research paper designated code, you would enrol in the School's designated course ENV5555Y Research Paper.

Thematic course dedicated to important issues in European Studies. Topics vary annually.

The Caucasus is a fascinating region that is relatively little known in the West, despite its rich history and current geopolitical sensitivity. The course will examine selected topics in the history and contemporary politics of the Caucasus region. The topics we will cover break down approximately as follows: pre-Russian, imperial, and Soviet history; post-Soviet state formation, ethnic conflict, and interstate wars; and domestic politics, development, and social change. The goal is to give students a basic introduction to the contemporary Caucasus that will enable them to embark on further advanced study, research, or work in the region. The class will be taught in seminar format and students will be expected to play an active role in presenting and discussing each week’s reading assignment. While there are no formal prerequisites, some prior training in Soviet history and post-Soviet politics will be helpful.

As a CEES MA student, you'll undertake a 10- to 12-week internship between first and second year in the program located in Europe or Eurasia. The internship is a core part of the CEES program. At the Munk School, you will have an opportunity to gain professional experience in top-tier research institutes, international, and civil society organizations, think-tanks, etc. The summer internship program is a 10- to 12-week placement that gives you an opportunity to apply and develop your interdisciplinary knowledge and skills.

This course is on bilateral conflicts and para-states in the European Union (EU)'s backyard. A plethora of big and small regional disputes hamper the Europeanization project. The first half of the course examines bilateral and domestic challenges in the potential EU member states of the so-called Western Balkans. The second half studies a number of unresolved issues in Europe that are largely shaped by real and perceived shortcomings in minority rights. After a section on Roma Rights in Central Europe, our focus turns to the origins and outcomes of largely separatist wars in Azerbaijan, Cyprus, Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine and the peace agreements that followed.

The twentieth century has sometimes been referred to as a "century of Refugees." Today, there are over seventy million refugees in the world. As a result of World War I, the Russian Revolution, the Spanish Civil War, World War II, the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the collapse of the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc, the Syrian civil war, the Russian War on Ukraine, and many other turbulences of the past hundred years, refugees become an important part of European culture. This course will examine works of literature, music, theatrical plays, and journalistic writing produced by European refugees. The goal of the course is to discuss how refugees made sense of their experience during the past hundred years.

"Illiberal democracy" is the term used by Viktor Orbán, the Prime Minister of Hungary, for his vision of a conservative, nationalist society. We will be studying how East Central Europe has been thrust into the forefront of the illiberal rebellion now taking place throughout the Euro-Atlantic world.

The course focuses on the "Visegrád Four" countries of Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary. Other post-socialist countries and the former East Germany will, however, also be frequently discussed. The varied course topics deal with where illiberalism in the area comes from, how it feels, and why we should care. Students will also be introduced to the basics of Central Europe's history, culture, and political economy.

A six-week topical workshop covering important issues in European and Eurasian Affairs. Topics vary annually.

Coming to grips with the multivalent instrumentalization of the “Past” is a major historical problem for the study of the successor states of the Habsburg and Ottoman Empires. The emergence of these states began for some in the nineteenth century, but was completed only with the disruption of the First World War. The turbulent decades that ended with the Second World War present a condensed moment of aspiration that welded nation-building projects to social experimentation, political innovation, economic realignment, and cultural transformations. Unpacking the meaning of this moment of experimentation therefore has resonance not only for the understanding of this period, but also informs long term historical representations of these states and societies into the present.

While this course is not a conventional survey, it will offer thematic explorations of aspects of Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Romania, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, and other countries that will situate their development in a broader narrative. These thematic explorations will, in turn, open possibilities for analytical and historiographic analyses that will familiarize students with notions of legacies, empires, theories of nationalism, social transformation, revolution and rupture, continuity and tradition, cultural symbolism. Finally, the course will explore the formative but also entangled relationship of these regions with the rest of Europe, and will suggest an augmentation of the standard practice of Area Studies with a subaltern move to "provincialize Europe" from within.

On 24 February 2022, Russia attacked Ukraine. How did we get there? This course will explore the complex relationship between Ukraine, Russia, and the West on the eve of Russia's war in Ukraine. We will cover Ukraine's pre-Soviet, Soviet, and post-Soviet history, with special attention to the country's current political, social, and cultural issues, including the legacies of the past in post-1991 Ukraine, corruption and the ambitious anti-corruption reforms, the power of oligarchs, the role of mass civic protests such as Euromaidan, Ukraine's new cultural achievements, decommunization, post-Soviet urbanism, and the shaping of an inclusive civic identity in the wake of the Russian invasion. The course will also provide students with tools for verifying information in the fast-moving context of war. Finally, students will be asked to think about and develop postwar scenarios.

This course uses a historical lens to consider international security problems — and solutions — in Europe since the end of the Second World War. Students will examine the national, bilateral, and multilateral security institutions that developed on both sides of the Iron Curtain, and the fate of these institutions after the end of the Cold War. (For instance: The Brussels Pact, WEU, NATO, Warsaw Treaty Organization, CSCE/OSCE, etc.) It will include consideration of how European countries adjusted their diplomatic, defence, and other security policies in the wake of the collapse of European empires abroad, and in the shadow of both the United States and the Soviet Union. Students will be encouraged to consider the various political, social, economic, and other sources of thinking about security in Europe from the second half of the twentieth century and into the twenty-first. The course will serve as a useful foundation for students interested in an MRP related to European diplomacy, defence, or security issues.