Summer 2014

ANTHRO 110, Technology and Culture

Theories of technological evolution and innovation. Meanings of technology. The social and cultural impact of technology on our everyday lives, including automobile culture, industrial farming, the telephone, and technologies of the body.

ANTHRO 148, Ecological Anthropology

Focuses on the complex and dynamic interactions between human beings and their physical environment. Examines ecological thinking in anthropology and the various theoretical approaches within the discipline that have developed from the coalescence of natural and social sciences.

ARTHI 136C, Architecture of the United States

History of architecture and urban planning: buildings and builders, patrons and occupants, but especially the historical forces and events that transformed the landscape. Course subjects include art, design, technology, economics, politics, and social forces.

ARTHI 136I, The City in History

An historical introduction to the ideas and forms of cities with emphasis on modern urbanism. Examination of social theory to understand the role of industrial capitalism and colonialism in shaping the culture of modern cities, the relationship between the city and the country, the phenomena of class, race, and ethnic separation.

ENGL 122NE, Cultural Representations: Nature and the Environment

A study of literary works, paintings, films, and other representational forms as they influence cultural attitudes. The courses offered will focus on such topics as the body, the city, the everyday, the marketplace, and the machine.

ENGL 162, Milton and Ecology

Because air pollution, acid rain, deforestation, endangered species, wetland loss, animal rights, and rampant consumerism were all issues of great concern in Renaissance England, in this course we will consider a range of Milton’s works, including Paradise Lost, against the backdrop of these environmental issues.

ENV S 1, Introduction to Environmental Studies

“Environmental Studies” requires insights from many disciplines, including the social as well as biophysical science and the humanities. This introduction offers an overview of the field, examining both our planet and the ways in which we humans depend on it.

ENV S 3, Introduction to the Social and Culture Environment

An introduction to the relationship of societies and the environment from prehistorical times to the present. The course is global in perspective, and includes history, literature, philosophy, economics, science, and culture as evidence for examining the human social environment.

ENV S 1080, History of the Oceans

Explores how people have experienced, understood, transformed, and attempted to conserve the world’s oceans throughout human history. Interdisciplinary approach includes aspects of science, technology, politics, law, culture, and material biophysical relationships.

ENV S 160, American Environmental Literature

Assesses contributions of literary texts to American environmental movements. Examines influences of writers such as Thoreau, Rachel Carson, and Edward Abbey upon environmental perceptions, values, and attitudes in American cultural history and upon rhetoric and politics of contemporary environmental debates.

ENV S 183, Films and the Natural and Human Environment

Course presents a series of popular films and professional documentaries representing a range of trends, images, and issues associated with the natural and human environments. Visual images and critical thinking skills are combined to enhance understanding of environmental issues presented by the media.

ENV S 188, Ethics of Human-Environment Relations

Survey of contemporary environmental ethics, focusing on both philosophical and applied issues. Topics include anthropocentrism and its alternatives, the role of science and aesthetics, multicultural perspectives and the problem of relativism, and the conflict between radical and reformist environmentalism.

GEOG 3A, Oceans and Atmosphere

Introduction to the oceans and atmosphere and their role in the Earth’s climate and its weather patterns. Focus on the flows of solar energy through the ocean and atmosphere systems. Human impacts on the Earth’s climate are also introduced.

GEOG 3B, Land, Water, and Life

Study of the interactions among water, landforms, soil, and vegetation that create and modify the surface of the Earth. Impacts of physical environment on human societies and humans as agents of environmental change.

GEOG 5, People, Place, and Environment

Survey of spatial differentiation and organization of human activity and interaction with the Earth’s biophysical systems. Sample topics include human spatial decision-making behavior, migration, population growth, economic development, industrial location, urbanization, and human impacts on the natural environment.

GEOG 8, Living with Global Warming

Overview of global warming and climate change processes. Description of complex relationships between scientific, technological, economic, social, political and historical facets of global warming and climate change. Introduction to the concept and practice of climate modeling.

HIST 105A, The Atomic Age

The history of military uses of nuclear energy and the attendant problems. Topics included: Manhattan project, decision to use the bomb, legislation, AEC, arms race, testing, fallout, civil defense, disarmament efforts, foreign programs, espionage.

HIST 108O, History of the Oceans

Explores how people have experienced, understood, transformed, and attempted to conserve the world’s oceans throughout human history. Interdisciplinary approach includes aspects of science, technology, politics, law, culture, and material biophysical relationships.

INT 91, Interdisciplinary Issues in Aquatic Sciences and Policy

A seminar-style course examining biological, environmental, political, and economic issues in aquatic topics, including oceanography, marine pharmacology and biotechnology, coastal geology and coastal processes, fisheries, and ocean policy.

WRIT 109ES, Writing for Environmental Studies

Analysis and practice of various forms of academic and professional writing for and in the disciplines.

Spring 2014

ANTH 130C, Global Food Systems and Human Food Security

Examines history of global food systems and its impacts on ecosystems, ecologies, and human nutrition and food security. How agricultural, capture fisheries, and aquacultural industries were integrated into the global food system. Provides information to make more informed decisions about consuming these products.

ANTH 147, Water and Society

Covers the longstanding debate over the relation between irrigation and state formation, as well as current developments in the study of water and society. Emphasis is placed on people living in arid and semi-arid environments.

ANTH 185, Human Environmental Rights

Introduction to human environmental rights. Examines the expansion of human rights to include human environmental rights, abuses of human environmental rights, associated social conflicts, and emergent social movements including environmental justice and transnational advocacy networks.

ARTHI 136Q, Deviant Domesticities

Suburban landscape, single-family detached house and the nuclear family, is both an architectural and a social pattern. Despite its ubiquity in North America, it now poses an acute challenge to ecological and economic sustainability.

ENGL 65IW, Topics in Literature: Into the Wild

This course will serve as an exploration, in literature and film, of the theme of individuals who either seek out or are thrown into wild, unknown, dangerous, supernatural, and post-human territories. In these territories (forests, secret islands, the Alaskan wilderness, enchanted castles, haunted caves, war zones, dark undergrounds, dangerous rivers, other planets, etc.), we will consider the ways in which the human comes up against and struggles with, but also forms alliances with, the non- and the inhuman. This course will also explore the tensions between what we believe are “civilized,” “natural,” and “unnatural” world.

ENGL 122LE, Cultural Representations: Literature and the Environment

Environmental survey of Western literature that explores the often-ignored literary history of the natural world.

ENV S 3, Introduction to the Social and Cultural Environment

An introduction to the relationship of societies and the environment from prehistorical times to the present. The course is global in perspective, and includes history, literature, philosophy, economics, science, and culture as evidence for examining the human social environment.

ENV S 108W, Wildlife in America

Explores the turbulent, contested, and colorful history of human interactions with wild animals in North America from the Pleistocene to the present. Readings will explore historical changes in science, politics, law, management, and cultural ideas about nature.

ENV S 185, Human Environmental Rights

Introduction to human environmental rights. Examines the expansion of human rights to include human environmental rights, abuses of human environmental rights, associated social conflicts, and emergent social movements including environmental justice and transnational advocacy networks.

ENV S 189, Religion and Ecology in the Americas

An overview of the growing field of religion and ecology in the Americas. Focus on spiritual traditions and landbased knowledge indigenous to the Western hemisphere.

FEMST 30, Woman, Development and Globalization

Examines the impact of development policy and globalization on women’s lives. Emphasis is placed on women’s activism and feminist critiques of neo-liberal measures intended to rid the third world of poverty.

GEOG 5, People, Place, and Environment

Survey of spatial differentiation and organization of human activity and interaction with the Earth’s biophysical systems. Sample topics include human spatial decision-making behavior, migration, population growth, economic development, industrial location, urbanization, and human impacts on the natural environment.

HIST 108W, Wildlife in America

Explores the turbulent, contested, and colorful history of human interactions with wild animals in North America from the Pleistocene to the present. Readings will explore historical changes in science, politics, law, management, and cultural ideas about nature.

HIST 109T, Technology in Modern American History

Surveys social history of technology in American life with attention to 19th and 20th centuries. Focuses on history of U.S. industrialization, the place of innovation in U.S. history, and role of technology in intellectual, political, and social life.

RG ST 193, Religion and Ecology in the Americas

An overview of the growing field of religion and ecology in the Americas. Focus on spiritual traditions and landbased knowledge indigenous to the western hemisphere.

SOC 126, Urban Society

Problems of the city, (e.g., congestion, homelessness, violence) are examined in light of larger economic and social forces which structure urban life. Through use of slides depicting urban settings, causes and consequences of different ways urban settlements have been organized are considered.

SOC 134G, Green Movements and Green Parties

Examines how environmental organizations and green political parties are shaping policy formulation on environmental issues in different developed and developing countries, with a focus on the US experience.

WRIT 105S, Writing About Sustainability

Analysis and practice of various forms of writing that address sustainability in interdisciplinary contexts. Students will research, write, and reflect on concepts and practices of sustainability, examining the role of words and images in communicating sustainability ideas to diverse audiences.

Winter 2014

ANTH 103B, Anthropology of Japan

This course examines Japan as depicted in contemporary ethnography. We consider how Japan has been imagined as a distinct culture by exploring gender, religion, family structures, the education system, the environment, management of difference, globalization and domestication, immigration, and modernization.

ANTH 130B, Global Tourism and Environmental Conservation

Focus on the contradictions between international tourism as an economic development strategy and environmental conservation efforts, especially in an era of climate change. One major objective is to help students make more informed decisions about their own tourist experiences.

ANTH 139, Indigenous Peoples

Survey of indigenous societies, including: resistance, response, and adaptations to colonial incursions; colonial and postcolonial politics; ethnic and cultural assimilation; indigenous ethnic resistance; indigenous political movements. Other topics explored include ethnocide and ecocide; indigenous property rights; effects of globalization.

ANTH 184, Settlement Pattern Analysis in Archaeology

How the arrangement of archaeological sites across the landscape indicates aspects of human culture, including subsistence strategies and socio-political complexity. Methods of obtaining and interpreting settlement data.

ARTHI 117C, Nineteenth-Century British Art and Culture

An interdisciplinary study of British art and culture in the nineteenth century. Topics may include: Romantic landscape painting and poetry; art and the Industrial Revolution; London and Victorian images of the city; images of childhood; Romanticism in Britain; and more.

ARTHI 136O, Sustainable Architecture: History and Aesthetics

Course examines history and theory of sustainable and “green” architecture since the early twentieth century. Emphasis is placed on the critical analysis of a distinct “green” architectural aesthetic; the scope is global.

ENGL 122UM, Cultural Representations: The City As a Way of Life – Urban Modernity 1940 to Present

A study of literary works, paintings, films, and other representational forms as they influence cultural attitudes. The courses offered will focus on such topics as the body, the city, the everyday, the marketplace, and the machine.

ENGL 165 IF, Topics in Literature: Imaginary Futures

This course examines the literary history of fictitious futures, or to use Frederic Jameson’s phrase, we will mine “the archaeology of the future,” to determine the central concerns of authors and film-makers who imagine, in particular, dystopian visions of the world to come. Beginning with fiction from the end of the Victorian period, we will read several novels, short stories, and consider some films, that provide glimpses of a variety of futures, and consider how they approach respectively the disintegration of the political, social, and natural world.

ENGL 165LE, Topics in Literature: Literature and the Environment

In a time of ever worsening ecological crisis, exploitation of resources, and oppression of and violence toward animals, it is important to understand the dominant attitudes we hold toward what we call nature and the species with whom we inhabit the planet. The purpose of this course is to begin asking questions about what nature is and how our understanding of it facilitates its exploitation and about how we relate to animals and why. These questions provide an opportunity for us to rethink some basic assumptions we tacitly hold that have led us to our contemporary apocalyptic moment. We will be reading a variety of literary works—poetry, fiction, philosophy, nature writing, film—to aid us in this project.

ENV S 127, Concepts of Environmental Education and Practicum

Conceptual introduction to Environmental Education (EE) through study and research of EE history, learner characteristics, models of excellence, and professional networks. Students utilize sound educational principles and hands-on experiences to plan, implement, and evaluate a quality EE experience for others.

ENV S 146, Animals in Human Society: Ethical Issues of Animal Use

An exploration of the ethical issues which arise when humans interact with other animals, and an examination of conflicting attitudes toward the value of animal life in such specific areas as food production, recreational activities, research and environmental protection.

ENV S 184, Gender and the Environment

A philosophical, evolutionary, and cross-cultural analysis of the ways women and men may relate differently to their environment resulting in the design of gender-sensitive and sustainable policies for planning and development in both the developing and the developed world.

ENV S 188, The Ethics of Human-Environmental Relations

Survey of contemporary environmental ethics, focusing on both philosophical and applied issues. Topics include anthropocentrism and its alternatives, the role of science and aesthetics, multicultural perspectives and the problem of relativism, and the conflict between radical and reformist environmentalism.

GLOBL 161, Global Environmental Policy and Politics

The evolution of international environmental negotiations, agreements, and organizations, and the role governmental and non-governmental actors are playing in shaping them are examined. Climate change, biodiversity conservation, and equitable global sustainable development are among the critical policy challenges considered.

INT 94LV, Biotechnology and Society

This course will cover topics including the high cost of drugs, finding a cure for cancer, genetically modified organisms, genetic profiling, gene therapy, cloning, stem cells, forensic biology, biotechnology and global warming, and will conclude with a “field trip” to a research lab.

INT 94 QU, Waste

Waste, in modern societies, appears as a nuisance, a problem needing solution. Depending on its form and circumstance, trash is something to be discarded, removed, treated, collected, destroyed, concealed, recycled, managed and above all controlled. From sewage to garbage to e-waste, this course considers the historical, cultural, and technological dimensions of rubbish.

POL S 175, Politics of the Environment

Analysis of environmental policy issues and their treatment in the political process. Discussion of the interplay of substantive issues, ideology, institutions, and private groups in the development, management, protection, and preservation of natural resources and the natural environment.

SOC 105E, Environmental Sociology

Traces the history of environmentalism and applies social science theories, concepts, and methods to analyze critical contemporary environmental issues and societal responses to them.

SOC 118CW, Consumption, Waste, and the Environment

Examines the link between consumption, waste, and the environment. Integrates environmental concerns with larger cultural questions about the role that consumption, as a way of life, has come to occupy in our contemporary societies.

Fall 2013

ANTH 115, Language, Culture, and Place

Focuses on the dialectical interplay between humans and the environment and how people use language to classify, make sense of, and attribute moral and symbolic meaning to places and landscapes.

ANTH 130A, Coupled Human and Natural Systems: Risks, Vulnerability, Resilience, and Disasters

Examines human dimensions of global environmental change in developing countries from an interdisciplinary social science perspective. Compares and contrasts alternative conceptual and analytical models of dynamic, interrelated human-environmental systems and presents recent approaches to understanding risk, vulnerability, resilience, and disasters.

ANTH 149, World Agriculture, Food, and Population

Evolution, current status, and alternative futures of agriculture, food, and population worldwide. Achieving environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable food systems; soil, water, crops, energy, and labor; diversity, stability, and ecosystems management; farmer and scientist knowledge and collaboration; common property management.

ARTHI 5A, Introduction to Architecture and Environment

Architecture is an act of place-making with which man has intertwined ever closer his world with the natural one. The course discusses basic architectural construction methods, discipline-specific terminology, design strategies, and interpretative concepts. Students must keep a visual, architectural journal.

ECON 115, Environmental Economics

Provides a rigorous treatment of environment economics. Topics include welfare analysis, ethical dimensions of economic criteria for protecting the environment, measuring the demand for environmental goods, property rights, economic incentives, including marketable permits and emission fees, and regulating risk.

ENGL 22, Literature and the Environment

Beginning with “The Epic of Gilgamesh”, one of the West’s earliest texts, this course surveys nearly 5000 years of literature in order to explore the literary history of the relationship we have with our planet, as well as to better understand our current environmental beliefs.

ENV S 1, Introduction to Environmental Studies

“Environmental Studies” requires insights from many disciplines, including the social as well as biophysical science and the humanities. This introduction offers an overview of the field, examining both our planet and the ways in which we humans depend on it.

ENV S 106, Critical Thinking About Human-Environment Problems and Solutions

Focus on two interrelated aspects of human-environment interactions where shortfalls in critical thinking are important – our thinking about human-related “problems and causes” and potential “solutions”. Gain feel for seductiveness of common misconceptions and learn why to move beyond them.

ENV S 116, Building Sustainable Communities

Examines sustainability, communities, and urban systems in a global context. Covers impacts cities have on the environmental systems that support them, and explores ways to improve urban systems through technology, policy, and design.

ENV S 129, Ecopsychology

Course explores the theories and practices of psychologists, educators, and others whose work is focused on the connections between “inner” human nature and “outer” nature within which humans experience themselves and the rest of the world.

ENV S 130A, Coupled Human and Natural Systems: Risks, Vulnerability, Resilience, and Disasters

Examines human dimensions of global environmental change in developing countries from an interdisciplinary social science perspective. Compares and contrasts alternative conceptual and analytical models of dynamic, interrelated human-environmental systems and presents recent approaches to understanding risk, vulnerability, resilience, and disasters.

ENV S 149, World Agriculture, Food, and Population

Evolution, current status, and alternative futures of agriculture, food, and population worldwide. Achieving environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable food systems; soil, water, crops, energy, and labor; diversity, stability, and ecosystems management; farmer and scientist knowledge and collaboration; common property management.

ENV S 172, Waste Management: Product Stewardship, Recycling and Renewable Energy

Overview of policy, technology, and economic dimensions of managing wastes in the twenty-first century. Covers the emergence of product stewardship, domestic and international recycling, composting of organic materials, conversion of organic materials to renewable energy, waste incineration and land filling.

ENV S 173, American Environmental History

Traces the history of American attitudes and behavior toward nature. Focus on wilderness, the conservation movement, and modern forms of environmentalism.

ENV S 175, Environmental Economics

Provides a rigorous treatment of environmental economics. Topics include welfare analysis, ethical dimensions of economic criteria for protecting the environment, measuring the demand for environmental goods, property rights, economic incentives, including marketable permits and emission fees, and regulating risk.

FLMST 183, Film and Media of the Natural and Human Environment

Presents popular films, professional documentaries representing trends, images, and issues associated with natural and human environments. Visual images and critical thinking skills are combined to enhance understanding of media presentation of environmental issues. May be linked to short creative projects.

GEOG 5, People, Place, and Environment

Survey of spatial differentiation and organization of human activity and interaction with the Earth’s biophysical systems. Sample topics include human spatial decision-making behavior, migration, population growth, economic development, industrial location, urbanization, and human impacts on the natural environment.

GEOG 108, Urban Geography

Introduction to the study of the economic geography of cities and regions and its relation to planning: urbanization, internal structure of cities, settlement systems, regional growth and development, migration, transportation, housing.

GEOG 161, World Agriculture, Food, and Population

Evolution, current status, and alternative futures of agriculture, food, and population worldwide. Achieving environmentally, socially, and economically sustainable food systems; soil, water, crops, energy, and labor; diversity, stability, and ecosystems management; farmer and scientist knowledge and collaboration; common property management.

INT 94OV, Introduction to Sustainability

This seminar will provide an opportunity for a broad introduction to several Sustainability-related topics.  This will be done in an informal discussion format, with ample interactions between students, invited speakers and the Instructor.   We will discuss areas such as Energy, Transportation, Climate, Water, Food, Agriculture, Buildings etc, both locally, nationally, and globally.  The students will be familiarized with student campus groups and given the opportunity to be involved in their activities.  The discussions will be at a very general level and not very technical.  The seminar will consist primarily of informal discussions in class, some writing activities, and possibly local or campus field trips if logistics allow.

INT 94QS: Eating for Earth: Our Diets and Global Climate Change

This seminar explores the relationship between our food choices and global climate change by answering the questions: What determines the greenhouse gas emissions of our food? How can we make informed food choices that minimize greenhouse gas emissions? How can we encourage changes in attitudes, behaviors and policies to support more climate friendly food choices? What are other effects will change to a more climate friendly diet have? The seminar will include field trips to nearby agrifood sites. There will be discussion of assigned readings and written assignments.

SOC 118CW, Consumption, Waste, and the Environment

Examines the link between consumption, waste, and the environment. Integrates environmental concerns with larger cultural questions about the role that consumption, as a way of life, has come to occupy in our contemporary societies.

SOC 134EC, Earth in Crisis

Explores the causes and consequences of climate change on a global scale, covering the state of the science in layman’s terms, the current and future social impacts of climate change, the global negotiations process, and climate justice activism.

WRIT 105S, Writing About Sustainability

Analysis and practice of various forms of writing that address sustainability in interdisciplinary contexts. Students will research, write, and reflect on concepts and practices of sustainability, examining the role of words and images in communicating sustainability ideas to diverse audiences.

WRIT 109ES, Writing for Environmental Studies

Analysis and practice of various forms of writing for environmental studies, both academic and professional. Attention to research methods, design of papers, development of graphics, stylistic clarity, and editing strategies.