American Environmental History

Catalog description

The course examines the history of the American environment, paying particular attention to the impact of European settlement on the landscape and the subsequent commodification of resources that defined the American experience in the modern age. it will pay close attention to such phenomena as industrialization, pollution, population trends, urbanization, chemically-dependent food production, and energy consumption, to name only a few. Particularly important, the course will delve into the process of political responses to environmental and ecological challenges as they have evolved over time.