Anth/Envir 459, Spring 2003
Culture, Ecology, Politics

Schedule

Course Schedule

APRIL

INTRODUCTION

T-1      Introduction to course themes and objectives. Review syllabus and requirements. Political ecology and anthropology.

Assignments: Form pairs for review essays.

Th-3      Anthropology and environmentalism.

      Readings: Handout #1: Kay Milton, “Anthropology, culture, and environmentalism.”

I. CRITICAL HISTORIES OF AMERICAN ENVIRONMENTALISM

T-8      Scientific ecology and environmentalism. Muir and Pinchot. Conservation and wilderness preservation. Mainstream environmentalism: The Group of Ten. Professionalization and bureaucratization.

      Readings: Handout #2: Devon G. Peña, selected chapters from Mexican Americans and the Environment: Tierra y vida (to be emailed to students). Robert Gottlieb, Environmentalism unbound, pp. 3-45.

      Assignments: Annotated bibliography topic must be selected and approved.

Th-10      Deep Ecology, Social Ecology, Bioregionalism, Ecofeminism, and Ecological Marxism.

      Readings: Handout #3: Devon G. Peña, selected chapter from Mexican
Americans and the environment: Tierra y vida (to be emailed to students). Janet Biehl, The politics of social ecology: Libertarian municipalism, pp. 1-181.

T-15      Environmental justice.

      Readings: Handout #4: Devon G. Peña, “The scope of Latina/o environmental studies.” Handout #5: Vilma Santiago-Irizarry, “Environmentalism, identity politics, and the nature of nature.” Robert Gottlieb, Environmentalism unbound, pp. 47-97. Julian Agyeman, et al., Just sustainabilities, pp. 1-16; 38-63.

Th-17      Culture, place, and nature: Bioregionalism and “Homeland” ethics.

Readings: Devon G. Peña, Chicano culture, ecology, politics, pp. 3-118.

S-20      Assignments: First draft of review essay due.

T-22      No class.

Assignments: Peer evaluation of review essay due.

Th-24      Environmental history and ecological politics. Cultural essentialism and Chicano
environmentalism. Environmentalism and native ethnographies.

Readings: Devon G. Peña, Chicano culture, ecology, politics, pp. 121-277.
Julian Agyeman, et al., Just sustainabilities, pp. 146-167.


II. GLOBAL STRUGGLES FOR THE COMMONS

T-29      Reconceptualizing the commons. Ecological politics and common property resources.

      Readings: Michael Goldman, Privatizing nature, pp. ix-53. Joanna Burger, et
al., Protecting the commons, pp. 1-41.

Assignments: Final version of review essay due.

MAY
Th-1      Struggles for the commons, case studies and theoretical challenges, I.

      Readings: Michael Goldman, Privatizing nature, pp. 54-228.

T-6      Struggles for the commons, case studies and theoretical challenges, II.

      Readings: Joanna Burger, et al., Protecting the commons, pp.,45-90; 109- 130; 175-194; 327-336.

Th-8      CPRs and legal pluralism.

Readings: Handout #6: Greg Hicks and Devon G. Peña, “Community acequias in Colorado’s Rio Culebra watershed: A customary commons in the domain of prior appropriation.”


III. SUSTAINABILITY: FROM RIO TO SEATTLE

T-13      Challenging sustainability: theories, concepts, and politics.

      Readings: Handout #7: Michael Redclift, “Sustainable development and popular participation: A framework for analysis.” Handout #8: Jessica M.
Vivian, “Foundations for sustainable development: Participation,
empowerment, and local resource management.” Julian Agyeman, et al., Just sustainabilities, pp. 83-95.

Th-15      Case studies in the search for sustainability. Globalization and sustainability.

      Readings: Julian Agyeman, et al., Just sustainabilities, pp. 99-145; 183-322.
     

IV. POLITICS OF KNOWLEDGE IN ENVIRONMENTAL RISK

T-20      Environmental risk, knowledge, and democracy.

      Readings: Frank Fischer, Citizens, experts, and the environment, pp. 1-108.

Th-22      Environmentalism as cultural politics. Critique of cultural rationalities.

      Readings: Frank Fischer, Citizens, experts, and the environment, pp. 109-146.

T-27      Elements of participatory environmental planning and risk assessment.

      Readings: Frank Fischer, Citizens, experts, and the environment, pp. 147-262


V. STUDENT LECTURES ON POLITICAL ECOLOGY

Th-29      Student lectures.

      Assignments: Annotated bibliographies are due.

JUNE
T-3      Student lectures.

Th-5      Student lectures.