Looting the Planet: Histories of Colonialism, Capital and Climate
UndergraduateLTU-HIS2ASR2025
Course information for 2025 intake View information for 2024 course intake
- Study method
- 100% online
- Assessments
- 100% online
- Enrol by
- 23 Feb 2025
- Entry requirements
- Prior study needed
- Duration
- 12 weeks
- Price from
- $2,124
- Upfront cost
- $0
- Loan available
- HECS-HELP and FEE-HELP available
Looting the Planet: Histories of Colonialism, Capital and Climate
About this subject
On successful completion you will be able to:
- Demonstrate and apply detailed understanding of human/environmental impacts, and the concepts of colonialism, capitalism and power.
- Develop creative, critical and analytical skills to understand and address problems of the relationship between humans and the environment in historical context.
- Demonstrate high-level, ethical, professional and culturally aware communication skills.
- Conduct historical research into complex problems relating to environmental histories, considering ethical implications and multiple perspectives.
- Navigate, critically assess and utilise information from a range of sources, primary and secondary, relevant to the field of environmental history.
- Environmental Humanities
- Global History
- Imperial and Colonial History
- Economic History
- History of Medicine
The climate crisis and inequality are two of the most urgent problems facing the world today. But how did we get to this point? How are these problems connected? And why are they such difficult problems to solve? In ‘Looting the Planet’ you will examine the deep historical links between the development of capitalism, the building of empires, ecological destruction and the unequal distribution of wealth. You will look beyond European history, to the Global South, Asia, Africa and the Americas, to develop a global understanding of these issues.
Beginning in the Mongol Empire, you will study a range of case studies across time and place: the colonisation of the Americas; India and the British Empire; the Scramble for Africa; the Sino-Japanese War (otherwise known as WW2); and the Cold War and the ideology of ‘development’. You will debate key concepts in environmental histories: the relationship between humans and the natural world, the impact empires and nation-states have had on both human and natural history, and the complex interdependent systems that underpin these interactions.
This is a Level 2 subject. This subject includes live sessions in the form of either in-person or Zoom tutorials with the expectation of student attendance and participation.
- 1 x Multiple Choice Quiz on Primary source materials (100 words equivalent) (10%)
- Tutorial activity (equivalent to 800 words). Activities include a combination of short primary source analyses, responses to readings, presentations during live sessions, and comprehension checks. (20%)
- Essay (2,000 words) (40%)
- End-of-Semester Reflection (1,600 words) (30%)
For textbook details check your university's handbook, website or learning management system (LMS).
The third university established in Victoria, La Trobe University has a diverse community of more than 38,000 students and staff. Its commitment to excellence in teaching and research prepares students to make a bold and positive impact in today's global community. La Trobe provides Open Universities Australia with its core tenets, entrepreneurship and sustainability.
Learn more about La Trobe University.
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- QS Ranking 2024:
- 17
- Times Higher Education Ranking 2024:
- 18
Entry requirements
Others
Pre-requisites: Students must have completed 60 credit points at level one.
Additional requirements
No additional requirements
Study load
- 0.125 EFTSL
- This is in the range of 10 to 12 hours of study each week.
Equivalent full time study load (EFTSL) is one way to calculate your study load. One (1.0) EFTSL is equivalent to a full-time study load for one year.
Find out more information on Commonwealth Loans to understand what this means to your eligibility for financial support.
What to study next?
Once you’ve completed this subject it can be credited towards one of the following courses
Bachelor of Arts/Bachelor of Health Sciences
UndergraduateLAT-AHS-DEG
UndergraduateLAT-ART-DEG
UndergraduateLAT-HSC-DEG
UndergraduateLAT-BUS-DEG
Bachelor of Information Technology
UndergraduateLAT-TEC-DEG
Bachelor of Psychological Science
UndergraduateLAT-PYS-DEG
UndergraduateLAT-CYS-DEG
Bachelor of Planning (Honours)
UndergraduateLAT-PLN-DEG
Associate Degree in Urban and Regional Environments
UndergraduateLAT-URE-ADG
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