Global Environments and Cultures takes into account environmental, climatological, cultural, economic, social, and political factors to better understand the world. For the summer course, we will focus on tensions between economic growth and environmental protection. In particular, we will be taking a close look at the politics of development, land use, land degradation, and water. This course is organized around a selection of literature that includes: geographical scholarship on nature-society interactions, environmental justice, political ecology, journalism, and global environmental assessment reports. In drawing together a diverse selection of literature, this course seeks to analyze how and why the present global environmental predicament came to be, and what can be done to mitigate environmental risks.

No textbook required. All readings will be available via Blackboard.

Evaluation will be based on the following: Online Forum Discussion Participation (~30%) Journal Entries/Reading Reflections (~20%) Op-ed Paper (~20%) Short Final Essay (~30%)