Indigenous Peoples and Environmental Change

4 credits · Undergraduate

This course explores the dynamic relationships between indigenous communities and the continuously changing environmental landscapes of the North American West from before European contact to the present, and how these communities have continually adapted traditional cultural practices to meet ever-changing environmental realities. With this broader context, this course examines how specific indigenous communities have navigated their relationship with the natural world amidst the challenges of colonialism, globalization, environmental ruin, and climate change in the North American West. Additionally, this course highlights the active role of Native peoples in regional and environmental histories of the region.