Stephanie Kaza

Courses

Click on a category to view course titles and descriptions. You will also find links to download PDFs of syllabi and other course materials. Click on the category a second time to collapse the list.

Electives

ENVS 196 - Unlearning Consumerism
Through readings, discussions, and weekly lab exercises, we study the face of consumerism both personally and in the context of globalization. Looking at ads, catalogues, websites, videos, and popular culture, we evaluate social, psychological, and environmental impacts of brand-name thinking and materialist values. Assignments include weekly lab exercises, consumer autobiography and credo, two exams, and an activism project.
• Syllabus [Download PDF]

ENVS 177 - Religion and Ecology
An exploration of the new and evolving field of ecological spirituality. We read and discuss current works addressing the role of religion and religious beliefs as they apply to the environment. Primary emphasis on the major world religions --Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism – with some discussion of wiccan and indigenous spirituality, religiously-based environmental activism. Assignments include reflection on one's own personal ecospirituality, spiritual practices paper, two exams, and an activism project.
• Syllabus [Download PDF]
• Religious Practices Paper [Download PDF]
• Self-Assessment Paper [Download PDF]
• Ecospiritual Activism Project [Download PDF]

ENVS 179 - Ecofeminism
An introduction to ecofeminist activism, philosophy, and spirituality. We read key writers in the field and consider the implications of their ideas for enviromental thought and action. We discuss parallel patterns of domination of women and nature and examine gender roles as they affect environmental choices. Class requirements include three exams, several response papers and an activism project.
• Syllabus [Download PDF]
• Ecofeminist Activism Project [Download PDF]
• Types of Ecofeminism [Download PDF]

ENVS 180 - Radical Environmentalism
A review of philosophy and practice in five forms of radical environmentalism -- animal rights, deep ecology, ecofeminism, social ecology, and environmental justice, as well as the emerging food safety movement. We begin with liberation ethics as a framework for understanding the motivation behind radical movements and apply this in analysis to each perspective. Assignments include three take-home exams and two student group projects which engage the issues of activism from radical points of view.
• Syllabus [Download PDF]
• Reader Contents [Download PDF]
• Life Cycle Analysis [Download PDF]

ENVS 195 - American Nature Philosophers
A survey of American nature philosophies through the lives and ideas of some of the most prominent thinkers in this field. Historical trends in romanticism, transcendentalism, conservation, wilderness preservation, land ethics, and radical ecology will be traced through biographies and primary texts. Themes include the role of wild nature in shaping culture, the experience of place and region in shaping ideas, and the influence of class, gender, and profession on perspectives on nature.
• Syllabus [Download PDF]
• Reader Contents [Download PDF]

ENVS 296 - Buddhism and Ecology
A survey of classical texts and modern commentaries relevant to a Buddhist perspective on nature. Also included are Buddhist foundations for environmetnal activism, a survey of ecological problems in Buddhist countries, and current challenges in Buddhist environmental thought. Assignments include three papers and facilitation of one class session. Prerequisites: advanced background in Buddhism and environmentalism, or ENVS 177.
• Syllabus [Download PDF]
• Reader Contents [Download PDF]

Core Courses

Teaching Philosophy

Teaching Philosophy [Download PDF]

Articles on Teaching [Click to view a list]

Stephanie Kaza - Teaching
My UVM faculty appointment is in the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources, with 100% teaching in the Environmental Program. I teach core courses for majors and elective topics in the environmental humanities which contribute to the Environmental Program’s committment to interdisciplinary thinking. I also work closely with Students Teaching Students (STS) courses approved by ENVS faculty.
Courses Click on a category to view course titles and descriptions. You will also find links to download PDFs of syllabi and other course materials. Click on the category a second time to collapse the list. Electives ENVS 196 - Unlearning Consumerism Through readings, discussions, and weekly lab exercises, we study the face of consumerism both personally and in the context of globalization. Looking at ads, catalogues, websites, videos, and popular culture, we evaluate social, psychological, and environmental impacts of brand-name thinking and materialist values. Assignments include weekly lab exercises, consumer autobiography and credo, two exams, and an activism project. • Syllabus [Download PDF] ENVS 177 - Religion and Ecology An exploration of the new and evolving field of ecological spirituality. We read and discuss current works addressing the role of religion and religious beliefs as they apply to the environment. Primary emphasis on the major world religions --Islam, Judaism, Christianity, Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism – with some discussion of wiccan and indigenous spirituality, religiously-based environmental activism. Assignments include reflection on one's own personal ecospirituality, spiritual practices paper, two exams, and an activism project. • Syllabus [Download PDF] • Religious Practices Paper [Download PDF] • Self-Assessment Paper [Download PDF] • Ecospiritual Activism Project [Download PDF] ENVS 179 - Ecofeminism An introduction to ecofeminist activism, philosophy, and spirituality. We read key writers in the field and consider the implications of their ideas for enviromental thought and action. We discuss parallel patterns of domination of women and nature and examine gender roles as they affect environmental choices. Class requirements include three exams, several response papers and an activism project. • Syllabus [Download PDF] • Ecofeminist Activism Project [Download PDF] • Types of Ecofeminism [Download PDF] ENVS 180 - Radical Environmentalism A review of philosophy and practice in five forms of radical environmentalism -- animal rights, deep ecology, ecofeminism, social ecology, and environmental justice, as well as the emerging food safety movement. We begin with liberation ethics as a framework for understanding the motivation behind radical movements and apply this in analysis to each perspective. Assignments include three take-home exams and two student group projects which engage the issues of activism from radical points of view. • Syllabus [Download PDF] • Reader Contents [Download PDF] • Life Cycle Analysis [Download PDF] ENVS 195 - American Nature Philosophers A survey of American nature philosophies through the lives and ideas of some of the most prominent thinkers in this field. Historical trends in romanticism, transcendentalism, conservation, wilderness preservation, land ethics, and radical ecology will be traced through biographies and primary texts. Themes include the role of wild nature in shaping culture, the experience of place and region in shaping ideas, and the influence of class, gender, and profession on perspectives on nature. • Syllabus [Download PDF] • Reader Contents [Download PDF] ENVS 296 - Buddhism and Ecology A survey of classical texts and modern commentaries relevant to a Buddhist perspective on nature. Also included are Buddhist foundations for environmetnal activism, a survey of ecological problems in Buddhist countries, and current challenges in Buddhist environmental thought. Assignments include three papers and facilitation of one class session. Prerequisites: advanced background in Buddhism and environmentalism, or ENVS 177. • Syllabus [Download PDF] • Reader Contents [Download PDF] Core Courses ENVS 1 - Introduction to Environmental Studies A broad overview of environmental concepts and issues, with an emphasis on local, regional, and national concerns. Topics include foundations of ecology, environmental policy and economics, population and consumption, air and water pollution, energy and waste, environmental justice, and ecopsychology. Lab groups take field trips to heating plants, organic farms, Centennial Woods, and Lake Champlain to study local resources. Weekly writing assignments focus on environmental issues and rhetoric styles; three major exams integrate lecture and lab materials. • Syllabus [Download PDF] ENVS 151 - Intermediate Environmental Studies Personal assessment and planning for the environmental studies major. Students complete an academic major plan, resume, career investigation, and preliminary research for choosing a senior thesis/project. In-depth research work on individually oriented biweekly assignments. The course is tailored to the student's individual area of concentration within environmental studies and plans for future study. • Syllabus [Download PDF] ENVS 202 - Senior Thesis and Project Senior research under faculty direction, supervision of research methods, data collection, literature review, analysis and collation of results. Regular consulting through office advising, email feedback, and review of draft write-ups. Expected final project should represent six credits worth of substantitive effort. Teaching Philosophy Teaching Philosophy [Download PDF] Articles on Teaching [Click to view a list] Kaza, Stephanie. 2005. Why Environmental Humanities? Bittersweet Vine (Fall, 2005), Environmental Program, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont, pp. 4-5. [Download PDF] Dorschner, Cheryl. 2002. Teaching Mindfully. The View 7 Oct 2002. [Link to Website] Kaza, Stephanie. 2002. Teaching Ethics through Environmental Justice, Canadian Journal of Environmental Education 7(1): 99-109. [Download PDF] Kaza, Stephanie. 1999. Liberation and Compassion in Environmental Studies, in Ecological Education in Action, eds. Gregory A. Smith and Dilafruz R. Williams, Albany: State University of New York Press, pp. 143-160. [Download PDF]

Stephanie Kaza - Teaching

Courses

Teaching Philosophy