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Cultural ecologists study human adaptations to their environments through cultural practices. Its strengths as a discipline include its interdisciplinarity and focus on local communities. However, in its early history, biologically determinist arguments were common in the field which catalyzed the emergence of political ecology as a critique. The latter discipline emphasizes the importance of political economy to better understand the relationship between society and the environment. The study of power dynamics and global systems are central to political ecology. In this course, we will examine various foundational intellectual debates and key concepts from both cultural and political ecology. Using case studies, we will explore how peoples’ uses of plants are shaped by cultural, economic, legal, and political conditions as well as environmental realities. Practices that function to conserve biodiversity and foster ecosystem health while meeting human needs will be considered.

A portion of the course focuses on capitalist transformations of nature. Through a brief historical survey of capitalism, we will explore how globalization, plantation economies, and consumer capitalism influenced ecosystems and contributed to social movements. We will also examine successes and failures of democratic institutions tasked with conserving natural resources and addressing crises such as biodiversity loss and climate change. Our attention will shift finally to the rise of neoliberalism and authoritarianism with their contemporary influences on environmental systems and democratic governance. The course will end with feminist and decolonial critiques of socially unjust and environmentally unsustainable social systems and their proposed solutions. Expect to read 150 pages on average per week and to write weekly discussion posts in Canvas.

Online Class Format: This course is offered fully online. There will be no in-person attendance expectations and classes will be held remotely on zoom. Students can expect to engage with one another through breakout rooms, online discussion boards, and other collaborative online methods.