Nature & Culture in European History

Catalog description

This course explores the connections between nature and culture in the historical context of modern Europe from 1600-present. Topics include natural disasters such as fires and floods, resource extraction in European colonies, the environmental impacts of World War I and World War II, attitudes toward nature among European political groups such as fascists and communists, and the historical development of conservation and sustainability movements in European countries. The course culminates in a primary source research paper on an environmental history topic of each student's choosing.