Environmental solution logo

This website features work from the completion of Phase 1 of the SCALES Project.

We are currently seeking partnerships for Phase 2.

Energy, Environment, and Society: Global Politics, Technologies, And Ecologies of the Water-Energy-Food Crises

  • Final Project: Essay & Digital Communications Project

    • Choose a problem that is useful to show what you have learned in this class. Nexus approach? Social or political dimensions of technology? Social histories of institutions, policy entrepreneurs, or bilateral activists? socioecological impacts of production/consumption systems?
    • Pay attention to what problem/theme/topic might be professionally useful for you in the future. Something that you can show you have researched in the past? Something that could serve as the first exploration for a future research or project?
    Read more: Final Project: Essay & Digital Communications Project

  • Paper 2: Providing Expert Advice

    Wakanda's president recently created an interagency commission to address the challenges and opportunities in developing a policy framework of this nature. The interagency commission has called for a group of experts including: industrial leaders, worker's unions, local communities, scientists, social scientists, policy scholars, and foreign experts on comparative environmental governance.

    You are one of the members of this last group. Your job is to advise how to better discuss, design, and implement a policy framework considering ecological, social, economic, and political aspects.

    Read more: Paper 2: Providing Expert Advice

  • Paper 1

    Please write an essay addressing ONE of the following questions. Your essay should be between 1000 and 1500 words. Please also consider:

    • For this essay, you should use (discuss, reference, quote) at least 5 of the readings from session 1–5.
    • While developing your argument include the analysis of 2–3 case studies (countries/environmental conflicts/regions).
    • You should bring a draft (printed copy of at least 700 words) to session 6.
    • A complete draft (100-1500 words) should be submitted (printed copy) on session 7. This draft is part of your final grade.
    Read more: Paper 1

Notice something that doesn’t seem right? Want to make a suggestion or provide feedback about how something is classified? 
Please reach out to esi [at] mit.edu and include SCALES Website in the subject of your email.
Feedback and any actions taken with regards to the feedback, will be shared as they are addressed.