Political Economy of US Environmental Policy

Undergraduate

This course uses tools and concepts from political economy to explore the evolution of US environmental governance from colonial times to the present day. Classroom activities and assignments are designed to foster critical thinking about the interplay between economic and political forces in social-ecological systems. We will cover fundamental theories in political economy along with other conceptual narratives and ideologies that influenced US environmental history. We will also consider endogenous and exogenous sources of change, with particular focus on how the distribution of resources, understanding, and incentives shaped patterns of governance across a broad range of domestic and international environmental issues (e.g., forestry, fisheries, agriculture, pollution, energy, climate change, etc.). Power disconnects and related issues from the literature on environmental justice are also incorporated throughout the course.