Course Code: C118

Course Title: Conservation & society

College: SOAS CEDEP

Course Director: Peter Buckley

Course Description: This course takes an anthropocentric look at how society has organised itself to conserve biodiversity through international agreements and conventions, and through use and exploitation. The course starts with an exploration and evaluation of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and related agreements. How biodiversity has been and is used by society is considered, as are the issues of how local knowledge is important to conservation and how biodiversity is important to the livelihoods of poor people.

The roles that biotechnologies have at present and will play in the future are issues central to the debate on genetically modified organisms. This and the rights that local people, the safekeepers of biodiversity', have to be the proprietors of not only the genetic resources but also the benefits derived from them are then discussed.

Furthermore, the course looks at the challenges and needs ahead. How can biodiversity be conserved in the future? What are existing and potential funding mechanisms and how will global society develop in the future and how will this impact on biodiversity conservation?

The overall aim of the course is to provide insights into the ways society has agreed to conserve biodiversity. Further aims are

• to provide information that will enable a judicious understanding of the costs and benefits involved in the development and use of biotechnological means of manipulating organisms

• to explore the issues around the rights to ownership of genetic resources, and to whom should accrue the benefits of ownership

• to show the needs and challenges for the management of genetic resources and biodiversity in the new millennium

• a critical understanding of the relevant international agreements on biodiversity

• how to assess the importance of biodiversity for livelihoods

• an appreciation of the costs and benefits, advantages and disadvantages involved in different biotechnological ways of manipulating organisms

• knowledge of the important issues in the debate over intellectual and/or farmers' rights in genetic resources

• appreciation of the future needs and challenges for the management of biodiversity

Assessment: Exam 100%

Course Credit: All SOAS CeDEP short course students receive a certificate of completion. Students of SOAS CeDEP Short Courses who may wish to transfer credit to Certificate, Diploma or Masters-level programmes are advised to select short courses which also act as Core Modules on CeDEP's various programmes.

Course Study Hours/Duration: 240 hrs over 35 weeks

Schedule of Availability: Feb - Oct (Enrolment deadline prior to Feb start - 30th November)

Delivery Mechanisms: Print; CD-Rom; Online Discussion

Cost: £960

How to apply: To enquire about applying for this course, or for any other information, please contact the Course Administrator using the online Enquiry Form below