ENVS 3325 Ecologies of Power

An exploration of intersections between power and our environments. Political ecology applies social and political theory, culturally-informed methods, and social justice commitments to better understand complex nature-society entanglements. Students apply multiple social science lenses, including political economy, geography, anthropology, and history, to better understand how our relations with the material world shape broader systems and networks of power. Together we read, discuss, and engage in project-based learning to explore challenging cases both international and domestic. Topics include the political dimensions of resource management, food systems, post-colonial environments, industrial and chemical ecologies, wildlife conservation, and international development, among others.