Urban Environmentalism

(4 Credits)

This course explores environmental issues in urban centers, their causes and impacts, and the rise of a movement that considers the “environment” not just as the term we use to describe the natural world from which many urban residents feel dissociated, but rather as the array of places where we live, work and play. We will consider the relationship between society and public policy in the context of environmentalism, social justice and urban health. This course introduces students to sustainability planning and public policy analysis, with a focus on policy development, implementation and decision-making in New York City. We will examine the powers of the NYC Council and consider the role of agencies, the private sector, and interest groups as critical parts of a bureaucracy through which environmental issues are shaped, managed and negotiated. Through case studies, students will understand the political, legal, economic and technical and scientific constraints of the policy decision-making process and explore the path towards managing, using and protecting environmental resources in urban centers.