Navigating Environmental Issues in Politics and the Public Square

Catalog description

Through engagement with a rich collection of historical case studies relevant to environmental decision-making, students will learn foundational principles of effective communication crucial for achieving positive social-environmental outcomes. Many communications principles have been stress-tested over time and remain guideposts for creating sound strategies. Others have been overtaken or re-engineered by the demands of a new media ecosystem. The implications of, technology, globalization, AI's growing role in communications, and the increased prevalence of stakeholder "rights" have all conspired to making the achievement of policy goals even more complex and challenging. Environmental policies and regulation have resided at the center of controversy and conflict for over a century. The list of contentious issues is daunting. Is it always "all or nothing" or a "zero sum" game, with only winners and losers? Or, when we think of a "balance" between the divergent needs and wants of affected parties, is that just code for the "half a loaf" strategy -- one where every side must give something up, even when right or science or principle is on one's side? Additionally, the growing relevance of environmental justice also looms large in policymaking discussions. The current political polarization makes navigating environmental issues that much more difficult. Controversy attracts advocates and critics who increasingly understand and utilize the power of effective communications, particularly new and pervasive communications platforms. Information, misinformation, and disinformation all travel the information highway, and sadly, disinformation travels the fastest - generating actions and reactions along the way. The lines blur between fact and fiction, between news and entertainment, and between investigative journalism and conspiracy theories. The 2026 off-year Congressional…