Culture, Ecologies, Extinction: Environment and Society in a Time of Crisis

(3 Credit Hours) · Undergraduate

This unit aims to introduce students to anthropological and sociological perspectives on human engagements with the natural environment. It draws on case material from societies around the world to illustrate a variety of environmental beliefs and practices. The unit familiarises students with the main theoretical currents in environmental anthropology and provides them with a selection of frameworks for thinking about human interactions with nature. It encourages students to think analytically about the values and knowledge that human communities, urban and rural, hold about landscapes, plants and animals. The unit is relevant to students from a range of disciplines including agriculture and the environmental sciences. It provides students with insights into the range of skills and background knowledge necessary for applying anthropological training to environment-related research topics.