ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORY

概要

Students will be invited to listen to the historical narrative presented by Prof. McDonald for the first half of the lecture to be followed by interactive discussions on the case study topic. Environmental history has been described as the Earth’s birds-eye view of global history. How humans and their activities have influenced environmental change and conversely how changes in the natural environmental have impacted human society throughout history are central questions explored in the interdisciplinary study of environmental history. An academic discipline that evolved from concern over growing environmental degradation and change, it is a discipline not only concerned with the past, but aims to explore working solutions for current and future environmental problems by understanding how humans have interacted with the natural environment throughout their existence on the globe. This course will focus on the 14 to early 20th Century, a time in history often referred to as the era of European colonialism and frontier expansionism. The reason for this focus is that it was the dawn of environmental degradation on a global scale. An understanding of this time in human history is critical to understanding contemporary society’s complex global environmental issues and challenges.

目標

1) increase student's understanding of the historical context to 21st century environmental challenges 2) develop academic report writing skills 3) improve English listening and reading comprehension skills

授業外の学習

Prior to each lecture, readings will be recommended. In order to ensure interactive academic discourse, each student will be asked to prepare the reading. NOTE: depending on student circumstances, there may be minor changes in the syllabus.

所要時間: 190 minutes of outside classwork