The crisis of nature: issues in environmental history

HSTM20092 (10-credit); HSTM20592 (20-credit)

Semester Two, Mondays, 11.00-13.00

Aims

Pandemics, global warming, mass extinctions, disappearing forests – both the popular media and scientists today increasingly speak in terms of environmental crisis. The aim of this course is to explore the following questions: How new are these concerns? What are the origins of environmental thinking? Indeed, what is meant by “nature”? What is thought to be the ideal relationship of the human species to the rest of the world? And do we have anything to learn from other cultures or from our own past?

Intended Learning Outcomes

By the end of this unit, a student taking this unit will be able:

to analyse environmental movements and environmental legislation in the light of key scientific and ethical issues
to see the global connections that link environmental changes and pay particular attention to how modern technology has changed our relationship with nature on a worldwide scale
to analyse the many cultural and historical constructions of nature and to explore ideas about relations between nature and culture
to be familiar with a wide range of perspectives on the environment – social, cultural, scientific and political

In addition, students taking the 20 credit version will be able:

to find and research a topic of their own choosing;
to find and assess critically primary and secondary sources;
to write, with full scholarly apparatus, a report on their individual research project.

Lecture Content

Origins and meaning of “nature”
Invention of the environment. Politics of ecological movements
Industry and public health.
Climate Change
Ocean Change
Catastrophes
Food chains and GMOs
Plastics
Environmental health
War and Environment

One lecture and one seminar per week.

Assessment

10 credit unit (HSTM20092) - 1000 word essay (50%); exam (50%)

20 credit unit (HSTM20592) - 1000 word essay (25%); exam (25%), project (50%)

Prerequisites

None.