Social Ecological Systems

Catalog description

This course uses a social-ecological systems framework in order to advance an interdisciplinary approach to conservation of biological diversity and natural resources. Students will be exposed to contemporary conservation and natural resource management challenges and will learn how those issues can be addressed through an integrated understanding of social and natural systems. Case studies will be presented and discussed in class in order to connect theoretical frameworks to on the ground conservation problems and to consider opposing and controversial viewpoints. Students will develop practical skills in understanding and discussing cross-cultural and interdisciplinary natural resource management issues. Students with a semester level of Freshman 1, Freshman 2, Sophomore 1 or Sophomore 2 may not enroll.