Introduction to Human Ecology

3 units

Human ecology investigates the complex relationships between humans and their environment. The discipline is typically divided into two primary fields of research: cultural ecology (the study of cultural solutions to environmental challenges) and human biological ecology (the study of physical changes that occur in response to environmental stressors). This course examines both biological and cultural human adaptation to the earth's major ecosystems and surveys human subsistence strategies within these environments. Students will investigate the consequences of population growth, modernization, nutritional disparities, medical ethics and environmental stewardship in a globalized world. The final section of the course will focus on world globalization, modernization, inequality and health.