Schedule

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Check for weekly updates as the schedule will be adjusted according to progress and changes will generally be posted a week ahead of time. This will allow the class to be dynamic and explore topics that might arise through discussions and readings.

Note that in the schedule below book readings are annotated as in the following examples: E(1-2)~Emanuel 2018 chapters 1 and 2, M~Meadows 2008,  D~Diamond 2011, CD~ Chase-Dunn and Lerro 2016, and LTG ~ Meadows, Meadows, Randers and Behrens 1972.  Book chapters and other assigned readings should be completed by the date on which they appear in the schedule below. Class periods will be focused on the assigned reading for that day.

Week Date  
Book chapters Notes/Activities Additional readings/videos
1 Jan 13     Introduction; Discussion questions Complex Systems: Difficulty of Prediction
TedX Talk: Trial and error
    15   E(1-4) Discussion questions for E(1-4)
2   20 MLK Holiday


    22
E(5-8); D(prologue) Discussion questions for E(5-8)
Discussion questions for D(Prologue)
An Inconvenient Truth (time allowing)
3   27
M(Intro); M(1) Discussion questions for M(Intro); M(1)  
 
29   D(2) Easter Island
 
4 Feb 3

 

M(2)

    5   D(4) Anasazi Discussion questions for D(4)
Stella Exercise 1 (due 26 Feb)
The Great Global Warming Swindle
5   10   M(3) Swindle Essay (due 21 Feb)
    12   D(6) Vikings Discussion questions for D(6)  
6   17 President's Day Holiday

 
    19   M(4); D(7) Vikings Discussion questions for M(4)
Discussion questions for D(7)

7   24   M(5)  
 
26   D(8) Vikings Stella Exercise 2 (due 20 Mar)
8 Mar 2  
M(6)
A Crude Awakening
    4  
Project proposal (due 6 Mar) Alternative explanation for Greenland Norse disappearance
Black death & Greenland Collapse
    9 Spring Break  
   
    11 Spring Break  

 
9   16 Class canceled
(COVID-19)


Finish watching: A Crude Awakening

  18   M(7)
D10 Rwanda
Activities:Discussion of 'A crude awakening' and readings, online quiz, office hours for help with Stella exercise 2 (due 20 Mar) Assignment: Watch before next class; PBS Frontline documentary on Rawandan genocide
10
23   D(11) Hispaniola    
    25   D(14) Decisions    
11
30   LTG(Intro + Chapter 1)  
  Apr 1   LTG(Chapter 2 + Chapter 3)  
12   6
LTG(Chapter 4 + Chapter 5)    
    8   CD(1): Sociocultural evolution to chapter end Stella Exercise 3: Modeling COVID-19 (due 19 Apr)  
13   13   CD(4)    
    15   CD(13)    
14   20   CD(19)  
    22   CD(20)    
15 
27   Project presentations    
    29   Project presentations      
16 May 4   Research Project due at 7:15 pm via email