WHAT IS A "NATURAL" DISASTER? A BIG QUESTIONS COURSE
What is a Natural Disaster? invites students to question the very idea of “natural” catastrophe, exploring how earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, and pandemics are experienced, narrated, and remembered across cultures. Far from being purely natural events, disasters are deeply shaped by human decisions about environment, infrastructure, inequality, and politics. This interdisciplinary humanities course draws on literature, history, anthropology, philosophy, and visual culture to examine how societies define, narrate, and respond to catastrophe, and how cultural frameworks influence vulnerability, resilience, and recovery.
Prerequisites & course information
Short Title: WHAT IS A "NATURAL" DISASTER? Department: Modern Classic Lang, Lit, Cult Grade Mode: Standard Letter Course Type: Lecture Distribution Group: Distribution Group I Credit Hours: 3 Restrictions: Enrollment is limited to Undergraduate, Undergraduate Professional or Visiting Undergraduate level students. Course Level: Undergraduate Lower-Level
Sources
- Course catalogue ↗2026–2027