| ENVIRONMENT & ECOLOGY : A Multidisciplinary
Perspective |
Taking these as components of environment and ecology this web based
course attempts to present a multidisciplinary system approach. The
concepts are drawn from all subjects relevant to explain the environment
scenario. Appropriate Technology, Psychology, Sociology, Economics,
Management, and Philosophy, Values and Ethics are some subjects from
where concepts and concerns are drawn. The course also presents methodological
approaches, training, ideologies, globalization, ecological behaviour
and knowledge management relating them to environment and ecology.
The 21st century is a century of shorter distances, closer places but
one that is plagued by a multitude of problems, man made as well as
natural disasters, catalyzed by man made
actions. The growing populace with its increased technology use is one
that is seemingly empowered to control its actions and yet susceptible
to the minutest happenings as were
its forefathers.
Globalism - refers to an appreciation of the world as a single place
or space.(Robertson 1992) and the ways in which people have internalized
a basic view of the world as a
common domain in which activities or events (natural or man-made)in
one part might have profound effects in another, distant one. It is
an awareness of large scale knock-on
effects.
Today Ecology has moved from the realm of biology to become a stand
alone discipline that encompasses all facets of human activity be they
economic social or developmental. The word comes from the greek work
for oikos, house and logi , -logy). Ecology and environment encompass
a number of disciplines.
An overview of ecology suggests its multivariate nature. Some of the
ecological systems are:
- Community ecology
- Ecosystem ecology
- Biological ecology & diversity
- Geographical ecology
- Oceanographic & marine ecology
- Ecosystems of the world
- Evolutionary ecology
- Political ecology
ENVIRONMENT: A MULTIDISCIPLINARY PERSPECTIVE
Environment as a concept is this multidisciplinary involving a number
of disciplines as presented earlier in fig 1.2 which is repeated here
| Social Science |
Technology |
| Economic factors |
Policy related factors |
| Social factors |
Psychological factors |
|
Environmental analysis also includes the understanding of multiple
issues related to disciplines. Some of the examples are:
- Air pollution
- Water pollution
- Industrial pollution
- Social environment
- Psychological environment
- Biological environment
- Ozone depletion
- Global climate change
- Rise in sea level & other natural changes
- Antarctica: a source for resource development
- Marine resources
- Offshore oil & gas
- Manmade habitats etc
This calls for
- Studies of sustainable development
- Environmental politics
- Environmental audit
- Suitable environmental policies & legislation
Therefore, in this section we have visualized an overall perspective
of ecology and environment from multidisciplinary angle. The next
section presents some of the methodological considerations to analyze
these issues.