Political Ecology

3 Credits · Level: Undergraduate

This seminar introduces the field of political ecology, which involves the ways that politics, power and culture shape relationships between humans, other animals, nature and the environment. What are the gendered, racial, and class dynamics of green campaigns for sustainability and "saving endangered species"? Is environmentalism a politics of the privileged, an urgent global human rights issue or is there such a thing as inter-species justice? How do cultural representations of "nature" and "environment" reinforce power inequalities or inspire social change? While there may be little argument about the need to address climate catastrophes, how might people, organizations and movements define and prioritize problems to move towards desirable solutions? Featurng film screenings, lively guest speakers and on-campus "field trips". Students will choose a theme and format for their major project: community service, grassroots activism, hands-on beekeeping/farming, NGO proposal, creative writing, mutli-media or film criticism.