fracking-and-policy-process-syllabus

In this course, the students and professor will learn together and challenge each other’s conceptions about shale gas development and “fracking”.. I will ask each of you to take on the r

ENVS 204: “Fracking” and the Policy Process Instructor: Darrick Evensen Time/Location: Tu & Th, 3:00-4:15,

Contact Info: 440-775-5308 (office) Office Hours: M & W, 11:00-12:00,

darrick.evensen@oberlin.edu 205 AJ Lewis Center

Informal Office Hours: Tuesday, 1:00-2:00

Slow Train Café (East College Street)

racking” or “shale gas development” or whatever you end up calling it is a major environmental, economic, and social issue Discourse on this topic pervades public policy discussions at municipal, state, provincial, national, and international levels Shale gas basins have been identified on six continents; policy debates have emerged throughout the world The discourse has become especially extensive and heated over the last half decade

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This issue can be examined across many spatial scales The City of Oberlin banned fracking within the municipality in 2013 As of August 2014, 1,457 shale gas wells had been permitted in (eastern) Ohio and 1,038 had been drilled Eighteen US states produced shale gas in 2012; one state – Vermont – has banned “fracking” for shale gas In Europe, at least France and Bulgaria have banned use of high-volume hydraulic fracturing, while Poland and the UK are actively

seeking to exploit shale gas reserves The European Union began deliberating on international regulation of shale gas extraction in early 2014

Understanding why and how to regulate shale gas development unearths an exceedingly complex set of policy issues What are the effects of shale gas development? How do these compare with effects of other energy options? What is (are) the appropriate level(s) for regulation? How does one handle scientific uncertainty? What values are relevant to policy discussions and decision making on this issue? What role should ethics, morality, normative claims, and philosophical reasoning play in this debate? Which actors are relevant in the policy process? How does one effectively communicate about this issue to a range of audiences? Can one change a person’s views on this issue? If so, how?

These are the sorts of questions we will tackle in this course None of the questions have easy answers I have studied the natural, physical, and social science of shale gas development for several years I have likewise analyzed the policy process and thought deeply about humanistic considerations relating to “fracking” I do not, however, claim any monopoly on understanding this issue In this course, the students and professor will learn together and challenge each other’s conceptions about shale gas development and “fracking”

I will ask each of you to take on the role of various actors in the policy process at different points throughout the course You might be put in a position that is antithetical to your own views and that challenges your comfort zone Part of the learning process is questioning our own

assumptions Sometimes this allows us to shift our own views; other times it helps us affirm and understand more clearly our original positions and interests

If you want to know more about “fracking” from biological, geological, psychological,

sociological, economical, and philosophical perspectives, you are in the right class If you wish

to tackle an immensely complex environmental, economic, and social policy issue from the perspective of a policy maker, this class is for you If you are tired of being frustrated and you seek to better understand perceptions on contentious issues because you seek to manipulate them, you have come to the right place

Course Goals

I have a few overarching goals that apply to every course I teach These relate to fundamental beliefs I have about the purpose of learning A syllabus is a contract between an instructor and his/her students Therefore, I ask that you hold me responsible for the following goals as we progress through the semester together I shall provide ample opportunities for you to supply feedback on my teaching and your learning Please use these opportunities to help me

understand how better to meet my course goals

1 You (the student) will understand the relevance and value of the course.

2 You will learn to reflect critically on the processes by which information is

produced.

3 You will find learning fun and exciting!

Course Objectives and Learning Outcomes

These course objectives detail some of the specific ways in which you will benefit from this course You can view these as “learning outcomes”, a list of what you can expect to gain from this course The objectives/learning outcomes explain tasks you will be able to perform and skills you will learn Upon successful completion of this course, you will:

1 Understand and experience a variety of roles in the policy process.

2 Integrate knowledge and epistemologies from the natural, physical, and social sciences

and the humanities

3 Analyze the best available information, identify gaps, synthesize divergent perspectives, and then determine approaches to constructing public policy.

4 Discriminate between various information sources and forms of communication, and evaluate the effectiveness of each form.

5 Practice and improve your ability to communicate about a contentious environmental

policy issue through several media

6 Think critically about and articulate your own position on the ethical implications of

shale gas development

7 Demonstrate that ideas learned in class can help draw attention to real world problems.

8 Use your in-depth analysis of a specific aspect of the “fracking” debate (of your

choosing) to design communication that could forward the policy process.

9 Participate in public engagement by presenting your research to a relevant audience.

Learning Process and Format This syllabus serves as a general guide to the information and skills you will learn in this

course and the mechanisms by which you will learn these things The syllabus is not set in stone;

it contains opportunities for you to determine some of the course’s content In the previous

section, I outlined some objectives I have for the understanding and cognitive advancement that I would like students to gain from this course As long as we meet these objectives, we may decide, as a class, to deviate slightly from the course format or content in order to meet these objectives in a way that is more relevant and exciting for the particular students enrolled in this

course this semester I shall make reasonable efforts to accommodate suggestions and resolve concerns that you may have.

A few aspects of how we shall interact in this course are, however, not up for negotiation We shall endeavor to create a democratic and inclusive learning climate and community that allows for freedom of expression, critical reflection, active listening, constructive dialogue, meaningful participation, and enhanced understanding We shall learn about and engage with the issue of

shale gas development via hydraulic fracturing in several different manners to accommodate different learning styles, but we shall also push each other slightly beyond our academic comfort zones I shall ask each of you to teach me something new about “fracking”, and I am

confident that you will be able to do so All our interactions, inside and outside the classroom,

will demonstrate respect for each member of our classroom community All students will feel safe and welcome in this class at all times

During most class periods, I will provide briefly some background information on the day’s readings and topic The remainder of the period will consist of class discussions, small group activities, role-playing activities, full-class debates, individual or group reflection assignments, and/or multimedia experiences Inside and outside of class, you will engage in group work with

your classmates For all independent and group work you complete in this course, both your classmates and I shall provide you with feedback on multiple occasions; likewise, I expect you each to provide meaningful feedback to both your peers and to me I shall offer

many different means for you to comment on my teaching and your learning in this course

Attending my office hours provides a great opportunity for feedback, for you and for me

My regular office hours are listed on the first page of this syllabus I am also available to meet

by appointment Please note, in addition to formal “office” hours, I will take up residence at

Slow Train (coffee shop on East College Street) every Tuesday from 1-2pm I hope you will

occasionally join me for an informal conversation, or to build off of an exciting discussion from class

You can access additional information on this course on the course website, on Blackboard

(https://blackboard.oberlin.edu/)

Expectations

When you decide to enroll in this course, you can expect that I will provide you with the learning experiences detailed in this syllabus I also have expectations for what you will bring to this course and for how you will engage with the course material:

 I expect that you will come to class prepared This means that you will make an honest

effort at reading the texts assigned for each class and thinking critically about the ideas contained in these texts before walking into class each Tuesday and Thursday I have assigned a reasonable number of pages (~90 pages) each week to give you time to digest what you read and to respond thoughtfully

 I expect that you will attend class regularly Interaction with your classmates is one of

the most rewarding and beneficial components of this course If you are not in class, you will miss this experience

 I expect that you will meaningfully engage in all group work I have designed group

assignments so that each assignment contains several different tasks There are

opportunities for each group member to contribute his/her own skill set to the collective

I expect that you will also provide other members of your groups with honest and

constructive feedback

 I expect and encourage you to express your ideas in this course, regardless of the stage of your ideas in the formative process I expect that ideas will be expressed in a

respectful and thoughtful manner and that all students will respect each other’s ideas, even when thoughtfully disagreeing

 I expect a certain time commitment from my students; I consider this commitment substantial, but not oppressive I realize that you have a life outside your schoolwork,

but I also recognize that you are at Oberlin, first and foremost, to learn This is a four credit-hour course Assuming that you are taking a “full” course load of 16 credit hours, this course comprises 25% of your workload I expect minimally a 40 hour commitment

to your schoolwork weekly; this is in line with expectations at most professional jobs Thus, I expect you will dedicate, on average, 10 hours to this class each week You will

be in class for 2.5 hours/week, which leaves an average of 7.5 hours/week for work

outside of class Some weeks you will need to work more than this amount, other weeks you will work less You will need good time management skills to divide these hours between your weekly assignments and your longer projects

 I expect that you will come to me with questions or problems you have with course

as soon as they arise I am free to discuss my expectations and/or strategies to manage

time during my office hours

Statement on Academic Integrity

In addition to the aforementioned expectations, I expect you to read, understand, and abide by

Oberlin’s Honor Code (http://www.oberlin.edu/studentpolicies/honorcode/) I shall hold all

students strictly to the Code (This is not like the pirate’s code, which Captain Barbosa informs

us is “more like guidelines”.) To claim that one was unfamiliar with the provisions or definitions

in the Code or that one did not understand the meaning of part of the Code will not remove one from the serious consequences associated with a Code violation I am available to discuss any questions you have about the Honor Code

The Code states, “Oberlin College students are on their honor to uphold a high degree of

academic integrity All work that students submit is expected to be of their own creation and give proper credit to the ideas and work of others When students write and sign the Honor Pledge, they are affirming that they have not cheated, plagiarized, fabricated, or falsified information, nor assisted others in these actions.”

On each written assignment and each piece of work turned in during class, every student

must write the following Honor Pledge, “I have adhered to the Honor Code in this

assignment” This must be handwritten and signed I will not assess any assignment that

lacks the statement or signature

Texts

Duggan-Haas, D., R M Ross, and W D Allmon 2013 The Science Beneath the Surface: A

very short guide to the Marcellus Shale Ithaca, NY: Paleontological Research Institution

252 pages

**Note: This book is NOT in the College bookstore You will need to order this book yourself

You can order the book online at the link below You can purchase the paperback version (total cost with shipping is $27) or order it as an “e-book” ($10)

http://www.museumoftheearth.org/outreach.php?page=Edu_Prog/92387/marcellusbook

Readings

You will need to obtain a copy of the book listed above; it is not available through the Oberlin Library If purchasing the book is a problem for you, please see me; I have an extra copy of the book in my office that I can make available “on reserve” Beyond the book, I shall assign

readings from: (1) academic journal articles, chapters from books, government reports, and other policy documents that I have posted on the course’s Blackboard website and (2) newspaper articles, government reports, websites, blogs, and other documents available on the Internet

Assignments

 Online weekly reflections: I shall ask you to write brief reflections (one paragraph;

approximately 1/3 page, single-spaced) on the course readings most weeks You will post these reflections on the Discussion Board on the course’s Blackboard website by Monday at 3:00 PM for the readings required for the next day I shall use your reflections to structure in-class discussions and activities; thus, the more effort you put into writing a thoughtful reflection, the better I will be able to facilitate a discussion or activity that answers your questions and meets your interests Reflections should consist of points in the reading that you found interesting, confusing, challenging to accept, novel, or with which you strongly agreed or disagreed I shall let you know each Thursday what I would like for you to include

in your reflection for the next week You should pose one or two questions for discussion or identify points you want clarified at the end of each reflection You will receive full credit if

you provide a thoughtful response each week a reflection is assigned [10 points]

 Periodic “quizzes”: These “quizzes” serve mainly as an opportunity for me to gather

feedback on the aspects of the course you like, dislike, find engaging, find challenging, or that you think need improvement Because I highly value your feedback, I shall count these quizzes toward your total points in this course I shall base your grade solely on your

contribution of an honest and complete answer to each question; in no way will I grade based

on the nature of the feedback you provide You will complete three quizzes over the course

of the semester If you miss a class and thus are not present to take a quiz, it is your

responsibility to make up that quiz as soon as possible (you can complete the quiz anywhere

you want and on your own schedule) [3 Points (1 per quiz)]

 Class participation: You do not need to speak up constantly; I am not looking for incessant

elocution, but I do expect meaningful contribution to the class I realize that some people are naturally more gregarious than others are in the classroom Nevertheless, I want everyone to challenge himself/herself to contribute Simply put, when you have something to say, say it; otherwise, listen attentively Your ideas do not need to be formulated fully; you often can meaningfully move the conversation forward by offering inchoate thoughts Please refrain from reiterating ideas that have already been shared simply in order to make sure that you are speaking up You can only contribute if you are in class Class participation also includes

active and meaningful participation in all in-class group work [12 points]

Full-length writing assignments:

This course is predominantly a mechanism for you to understand and experience the public policy process as it relates to a major environmental, economic, and social issue Therefore, your writing assignments will place you in the role of several different actors in the policy process For certain assignments you may go through multiple drafts and will receive feedback from me

as well as from your classmates Below I briefly introduce the seven assignments you will undertake this semester You will receive a detailed description of each assignment along with

an evaluation rubric when I introduce the assignment in class

Start of the course through Fall Recess:

 Journalistic article (2-3 pages) [5 points]

 Press release from a government agency OR letter to a politician/government agency

(2 pages maximum) [5 points]

 Academic journal article abstract, introduction, and methods (4-5 pages) [5 points]

Fall Recess through end of the course:

 Policy brief (1-2 pages, text and graphics) [5 points]

 Position statement, reflection, and participation in policy conference (4 pages) [15 points]

 Ethical reasoning and normative analysis (3-4 pages) [5 points]

Final project:

 Your final project for this course will be a creative assignment, the form of which is largely

up to you The assignment is to create something that forwards the policy process by sharing

a meaningful message about shale gas development / fracking, and that is targeted for a specific policy-relevant audience The project could take a number of forms, such as writing

a series of journalistic articles, producing a piece of independent research that generates new understanding of shale gas development (e.g., a mass media content analysis, a survey, interviews, etc.), constructing a blog, partnering with a non-profit organization to help it synthesize research or mobilize a population, writing a series of policy briefs, organizing a rally with a political message, fostering some form of grassroots movement, designing and giving a presentation to children in local schools, and many other activities

You must ensure the format or your final project follows standards for the medium you choose I will discuss your ideas for your final project with you during an individual

conference with you early in the semester You must have your idea (for both the aspect of shale gas development on which you will focus and the medium of presentation) approved by

me before beginning work on your project If you choose a medium that will not generate a written product, you must accompany your project with an essay (of negotiable length) interpreting your work and explaining the message, the audience, and the effect you hope to achieve The project must reflect thoughtful research into scientific and/or humanistic aspects of shale gas development It should demonstrate understanding of shale gas

development well beyond that of a layperson I will provide a detailed description of this final project to you during the second week of the course, but it is never too early to start thinking about ideas for your project [30 points]

Assessment

As the preceding section indicates, an honest effort in the course and attentiveness to your assignments will help you toward earning full credit for many tasks The key to doing well on

all assignments is to request clarification and feedback early and often; I am always available to

discuss questions about your work Multiple assignments require active participation in class, both in full class discussions/activities and in work within small groups In this class, I shall assess (i.e., grade) you on (1) the effort and engagement you put into your work, (2) your

creativity in asking novel questions, searching for answers in unique ways, and in presenting your ideas, and (3) on the content and quality of the work you produce

I shall assign grades based on the following scheme There are 100 total points; the points for each assignment (or group of assignments) represent the percentage contribution of that

assignment to your total grade When I announce each assignment in class, I will provide you with a detailed evaluation rubric for the means by which I will assess your work

Online weekly reflections 10 Due at 3:00 PM, Mondays throughout the semester Periodic quizzes 3 23 September, 7 October, and 4 November

Class participation 12 Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the semester Journalistic article 5 Assigned on 9 September; due 18 September Press release OR letter 5 or 102 Assigned on 18 September; due 2 October

Academic journal article 5 or 102 Assigned 2 October; due 16 October

Policy brief 5 or 102 Assigned 28 October; due 18 November

Position statement, reflection,

and participation in policy

conference

15 Assigned 4 November; position statement due 11

Nov.; policy conference during class on 11 Nov and 13 Nov.; reflection due on 24 Nov

Ethical reasoning and normative

2 Assigned 20 November; due 4 December

Final project 30 Assigned 9 September; first version due 2

December; feedback from instructor by 7 Dec (via e-mail); final version due 20 Dec (via hard copy at

my office)

1 All assignments are due in class at the start of class on the date assigned unless otherwise

specified

2 For any item marked “5 or 10” points, you can elect which one of these assignments you want

to be worth 10 points Only one will be worth 10 points, and you must tell me in writing (on the assignment) by the date the assignment is due that you want a specific assignment to be worth 10 points If you do not specify an assignment, by default the last of these assignments will be worth 10 points

Accommodations for Individuals with Disabilities

In compliance with Oberlin College policy and equal access laws, I am available for a

confidential discussion of appropriate academic accommodations that may be required for students with a documented disability I shall work with students to identify means for

accommodating disabilities that may affect the ability of students to participate in course

activities or meet course requirements I ask that students make requests for academic

accommodations during the first three weeks of the semester, except for unusual circumstances,

so I can make appropriate arrangements

Classroom Climate

This course demands a high level of interaction between the students and the instructor, and amongst the students We shall discuss topics that have no easy solution, and on which we may have substantial differences in our reasoned opinions At the heart of studying the science and philosophy of shale gas development is a search to understand why people notice different aspects of this issue, why they express their knowledge and beliefs as they do, and why people hold different values I guarantee that we, as a class, will not always agree on how “fracking” should be viewed or on recommendations for the best approach to discourse about this issue If

we disagree, we must do so respectfully and intelligently, clearly articulating our rationale and supporting our alternative viewpoints

In this course, careful listening and assessment of other’s views will be more important than eloquent pronouncement and defense of your own views The best students will use this course

to learn how to defend their points of view, but they will also learn which of their points of view

could benefit from revision If you have made it this far in the syllabus and actually read this sentence, tell me “life is good” at some point before the end of the first class, and I will treat you

to a coffee or tea during my informal office hours on campus, or to a beer during happy hour at The Feve (if you are at least twenty-one years old)

A final note on the classroom climate: I want my class always to be welcoming and inviting I

want it to be an engaging space where all students are challenged to learn, but not where they are pressured to the point of unhealthy levels of stress If, for any reason, you believe that you are unable to fully engage with your assignments or participate in class without experiencing

unhealthy levels of stress, please speak with me I would very much prefer to address any such

issues as early as possible I am always available to discuss reasonable accommodations for unanticipated issues that may arise in the lives of my students.

Course Topics and Schedule

**Note: You must complete all readings before coming to class on the day they are listed Unless otherwise noted, readings are from the course text (The Science Beneath the Surface) or are available on the Blackboard site for this course.**

Unit 1: Introduction to “Fracking” / Shale gas development: Discourse & Science

Introduction to shale gas development

2 September,

Tuesday

Topic: Intro to the course, our community, and how to approach this issue

Readings: Wilson T, et al 2014 Just think: The challenges of the disengaged

mind Science 345: 75-77.

Loehle C 1990 A guide to increased creativity in research – inspiration or

perspiration? BioScience 40: 123-129.

4 September,

Thursday

Topic: Communicating about “fracking” and “shale gas development”

Readings: Prologue, Chapter 1, Epilogue, and Note to Readers from:

Wilber T 2012 Under the Surface: Fracking, fortunes, and the fate of the

Marcellus Shale (38 pp.) (Also available in our library as an e-book)

Evensen D, et al 2014 (in press) What’s the ‘fracking’ problem? One word can’t say it all The Extractive Industries and Society (7 pp.)

9 September,

Tuesday

Topic: State (Ohio) and national (USA) discourse on shale gas Readings: Newspaper articles, government documents, non-profit

organization websites, industry websites (list posted on Blackboard)

11 September,

Thursday Topic: International (European) discourse on shale gas Readings: News articles and government documents (list posted on

Blackboard)