Civic Participation & Sustainable Communities

Catalog description

Environmental issues feature scientific uncertainty and complexity, as well as diverse stakeholder values. As conservationists, resource managers, educators and advocates, how can we effectively engage citizens in the process of creating environmentally healthy, culturally rich, and economically strong communities through collective decision-making and actions? This course combines theory and practice to increase students’ understanding of sustainable community development; citizen participation; collaboration; scientific, local, practical and indigenous knowledge; and analytic-deliberative processes. U.S. and international case studies in conservation, sustainability and community education are used to illustrate and critique theoretical concepts. students’ will develop practical skills in specific methods of stakeholder engagement.