Topic: Environmental Crime

Catalog description

This course considers the global problem of environmental crime, including definitions, causes, and extent, with a focus on solutions. We will examine theoretical orientations that explain the psychological, social, political, cultural, and economic forces that drive environmental crime as well as the legislation and legal frameworks that criminalize practices that harm the environment and their enforcement––or don’t. We will use case studies to critically analyze problems and enforcement methods and you will take direct action through a project centered on a topic of your choice. We will focus on a solutions-oriented approach, balancing the study of environmental crime and its challenges with action toward creating sustainable and restorative systems that benefit people, animals, and the earth itself. We will seek multiple solutions for these complex environmental challenges, and aim to build your capacity for critical thinking, writing, and advocating for change.