American Environmental History

Catalog description

A study of our historical place in the natural landscape through the methods of "environmental history," examining ecological relationships between humans and nature, political and economic influences on the environment, and cultural conceptions of the natural world. Drawing on methods from the natural sciences, the social sciences, and the humanities, the course will survey over 500 years of North American environmental history, with topics ranging from urban pollution and suburban sprawl to agricultural practices and wilderness protection.