I see undergraduate teaching and graduate supervision as the most engaging and important parts of what I do. I view them as opportunities to open up worlds of possibility for students, who generally arrive with enthusiasm and determination to create positive change, but need the tools to achieve this. This is an exciting time to study political ecology: societies are changing all the time—we have the potential for real dynamism. Addressing climate change will change our societies, but how it will do so is not predetermined: they could change to become more unequal, violent and environmentally destructive, or they could change to become more egalitarian, sustainable and vibrant. No doubt there will be trends in both directions. However, the more people seek to understand what changes need to happen, and to participate in making those changes happen, the more likely that society will change in ways that reflect their interests. So in my view this is an incredibly important time to study political ecology, and to participate in creating solutions to environmental problems.
In my teaching I seek to help students develop the skills and understanding to do this. These are primarily skills of critical analysis and effective communication, but these need to be embedded in and guided by a robust understanding of the social, political and economic institutions we have inherited; their logics, possibilities and limitations, and how they might be changed to render them more conducive to ecological and social flourishing. These are not easy skills and understandings to develop, but their transformative potential rewards those who do.
Karena Shaw 