Listed in: Anthropology and Sociology, as SOCI-226
Hannah A. Holleman (Section 01)
Creating a more sustainable relationship between human society and the rest of nature requires changing the way we relate to one another as humans. This course will explain why, while answering a number of associated questions and introducing the exciting and engaged field of environmental sociology. We study the anthropogenic drivers of environmental change from an interdisciplinary and historical perspective to make sense of pressing socio-ecological issues, including climate change, sustainability and justice in global food production, the disproportionate location of toxic waste disposal in communities of color, biodiversity loss, desertification, freshwater pollution and unequal access, the accumulation and trade in electronic waste, the ecological footprint of the Internet, and more. We examine how these issues are linked to broad inequalities within society, which are reflected in, and exacerbated by, persistent problems with environmental racism, the unaddressed legacies of colonialism, and other contributors to environmental injustice worldwide. Industrialization and the expansionary tendencies of the modern economic system receive particular attention, as these continue to be central factors promoting ecological change. Throughout the course a hopeful perspective in the face of such interrelated challenges is encouraged as we study promising efforts and movements that emphasize both ecological restoration and achievement of a more just, democratic world.
Course readings include foundational texts in environmental sociology, as well as the most current research on course topics. Writing and research assignments allow for the development of in-depth analyses of social and environmental issues relevant to students' community, everyday life, personal experience, and concerns.
Limited to 25 students. Fall semester. Professor Holleman.
Section 01
M 02:00 PM - 03:20 PM JOCH 202
W 02:00 PM - 03:20 PM JOCH 202
| ISBN | Title | Publisher | Author(s) | Comment | Book Store | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Twenty Lessons in Environmental Sociology | Oxford University Press | Gould & Lewis | Amherst Books | TBD | ||
| The Tragedy of the Commodity: Oceans, Fisheries, and Aquaculture | Rutgers University Press | Longo, Clausen & Clark | Amherst Books | TBD | ||
| Agriculture and Food in Crisis: Conflict, Resistance, and Renewal | Monthly Review Press | Magdoff & Tokar | Amherst Books | TBD | ||
| Ecological Revolutions: Nature, Gender, and Science in New England | University of North Carolina Press | Merchant | Amherst Books | TBD | ||
| Living in Denial: Climate Change, Emotions, and Everyday Life | MIT Press | Norgaard | Amherst Books | TBD | ||
| Resisting Global Toxics: Transnational Movements for Environmental Justice | MIT Press | Pellow | Amherst Books | TBD |
These books are available locally at Amherst Books.