ES 282, Environmental Humanities, Spring 2017

MWF, 9:10-10:10, in Sage 4210, 3 credits

Instructor: Dr. Laura M. Hartman, , Sage Hall 3453, x0746

Office Hours: by appointment. Check my google calendar or just stop by. You are always welcome!

Learning goals:

  1. Comprehension and understanding of major concepts in the history of environmental thought: how ideas about nature and the earth have changed over time.
  2. Exposure to and appreciation of certain works considered classic in the field of American environmental thought and literature.
  3. Comprehension and analysis of environmental ethics and value concepts deriving from philosophical and religious thought.
  4. Critical thinking skills: comprehension, analysis, and evaluation.
  5. Writing skills: Ability to create a well supported, clearly articulated, written argument, created through effective use of the writing process.
  6. Vocational reflection: Exposure to and progress toward career possibilities in environmental fields, plus a developed sense of self in the community of the ES program.

Texts:

●Bohannon, Richard, ed. Religions and Environments. (Bloomsbury, 2013)

●Leopold, Aldo. A Sand County Almanac. (Ballantine Books edition)

●Several articles collected on D2L

Policies:

  1. I expect you to be professional. This means holding yourself to high standards of conduct in class and in communication outside of class. It means being respectful, prompt, and courteous. Prepare for class; be on time; pay attention when you’re in class: above all, recognize the value of our time together. If you run into a problem with an assignment or a classmate, communicate with me about it. I am here to help, but you are ultimately responsible for your own learning.
  2. You get 3 “free” absences. Beyond that, your grade suffers. Treat them like sick days. If you “spend” them early, you’ll probably need them later and will be penalized for excessive absences.
  3. If your religious beliefs, military service, serious illness, or other extenuating circumstance require absence from class, please let me know so I can accommodate your needs.
  4. If you have any disabilities, please let me know so I can accommodate your needs.
  5. I don’t like late assignments, but I do accept them, with a late penalty. I am much more likely to grant you an extension if you communicate with me about it beforehand than if you ask me at the last minute.
  6. Plagiarism will have consequences in accordance with university policy. Be careful and when in doubt, cite it!
  7. Permissions: sometimes I need to use your written work, either as “evidence” that I’m doing my job correctly, or as an example of good writing to help students understand what is expected of them. In all cases your work would be used anonymously. Students are welcome to opt out of this permission and to keep your work confidential, without any penalties for doing so: just let me know your preference. If you do not request otherwise, I will assume that you have given permission for me to use your work in this way.
  8. Everyone is welcome in this classroom, exactly as you are. All races, ethnicities, nationalities, genders, sexualities, religions, abilities, and political affiliations are welcome here. We treat each other with respect, and we listen before we judge. Disagreement with ideas and positions is welcome. Vilification of people, harmful stereotypes, and failure to listen with openness are not welcome.

Assignments:

Participation: this is 10% of your grade, and you must work to earn it. Here’s how you do it: show up to class, make it clear that you have done the readings, participate thoughtfully in class discussions and in other in-class activities. Do your written assignments well and on time. (Learning goals 1, 2, and 3)

Almost-Daily Writing: Twice a week (precisely which days will vary) I will ask you to spend the first 10 minutes of class doing an in-class writing assignment. This in-class writing assignment will a) test whether you completed the reading (it will be open book and open note, so please always bring your texts to class! but you won’t do well unless you’re familiar with the reading, so be sure you read ahead of time), and b) offer you the chance to practice a writing skill that we discuss in class. If you are absent, it’s a zero. But there’s a makeup option for both missing class and for doing poorly on the assignment: re-write the assignment and turn it in before the end of the semester, and you can earn up to half of the points you missed. 20% of your grade. (Learning goals 1, 2, 4, and 5)

Leopold Assignment:Imagine that the Aldo Leopold Foundation has succeeded in getting some portion of Leopold’s writings required as part of the curriculum for all Wisconsin 9th graders. They’ve asked for public comment about this, and you need to weigh in on the issue. What Leopold reading(s) (viz., sections of Sand County Almanac) should the students be assigned, and why? Write a 1-2 page (300-800 word) essay defending your choice, and include some insight from the field trip to the Leopold Shack in your explanation. You will want to ask yourself which insights from Leopold are the most important for the next generation of Wisconsinites to absorb. Write your essay well: be sure it is organized and makes a coherent argument. 5% of your grade. (Learning goal 1, 2, 4, 5)

Discussion roundtables: For each of our three main units (wilderness, garden, and city) we will finish with a roundtable discussion of a case study. You will each be assigned two authors to write about, and one to “personify” for the discussion.

To prepare for the discussion: re-read your sources carefully, and study the case write-up that I give you. Then, prepare a three-page write-up (about 900 words, plus or minus 100) that includes: 1, a summary of both sources; 2, a discussion of your sources’ probable views of the case study, with comparison and contrast; and 3, your own views (in what ways do you agree or disagree with your sources’ assessments of the case?). It does not need to be organized according to 1, 2, and 3. I just need to see all 3 elements in there somewhere. Please write a strong academic essay that has a thesis statement, supporting evidence, etc. Print this out and bring it with you to class.

On the day of the discussion: we will do a “light” form of role-play here, in which you will first personify your assigned source in a face-to-face discussion and then drop the persona and analyze the case with your own ideas. You are expected to speak up in the discussion in order to earn points for this. To get full points you will need to speak up more than once. At the end of class you will turn in your write-ups.

Discussion roundtables are 30% of your grade. 10% for each roundtable (7% for writeup and 3% for in-class participation in the discussion). (Learning goals 1, 2, 3, and 4)

Vocational Reflection: You will complete a series of vocational reflection assignments. These total 10% of your grade. (Learning goal 6)

  1. Environmental Values. Please complete the “Reflections on Environmental Values” form and turn it in on D2L. Please write at least 600 words and write well. Due by class time on Feb 3rd. 3%)
  2. Resume and cover letter: Please visit various job and career related websites and choose two jobs that you imagine you would want to apply for. Write two cover letters (they should be different from each other). Also, create a resume. We will have a resume and cover letter workshop day in week 2 to get you started on this assignment. (6%)
  3. Sending forth: the last day of class, we will discuss what you learned in this class and how you now think about “your story.” You will do an in-class writing reflection on this topic. (1%)

Final Paper

Here is the prompt for your final paper:

Climate change is, by some accounts, the defining environmental issue of our time. It is a thorny, complex, multifaceted problem. How would you analyze it using the frame of wilderness, garden, and city? Use at least 6 of our course authors, at least one from each of our 3 main units, to discuss how best to respond to the issue of climate change. (You may also use Leopold as a “wild card” to substitute for an author in any category.) I am not looking for which technological or political fix you favor; I am asking how we should be thinking about the problem. Is the climate a wilderness that should be preserved? Should we discuss how to responsibly steward our fossil fueled garden? Is it most helpfully viewed as an issue of social justice? Choose your favorite frame and argue for it; explain why this view is more helpful than others.

You will write this paper in pairs (maybe one group of 3 if needed). The paper needs to be 10 pages long or about 3,000 words. I need you to cite all your sources, MLA Style, and include a Works Cited. (See Hartman Writing Guide on D2L for more information.)

I will ask for an in-class brainstorm of ideas in week 10 (April 12); a draft in week 12 (April 24); I will read the drafts and give you comments; we will have an in-class workshop on the paper comments during week 13 (May 5). The final paper substitutes for a final exam and is due in week 15. Completing the draft earns you 5% of your grade and participation in the two in-class writing days earns you another 5%. (If you’re absent, talk to me about making this up.) The final paper is worth 15% of your grade. (Learning goals 4 and 5)

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Participation…….10
Daily Writing …. 20
Leopold Assignment…5
Discussion roundtables…. 30
Vocational reflection…. 10
Final paper … 25
(Two Writing Days = 5)
(Complete Draft turned in= 5)
(Paper itself = 15)
Total ….. 100 / A = 93-100
A- = 90-92
B+ = 87-89
B = 83-86
B- = 80-82
C+ = 77-79
C = 70-76
D = 60-69
F = 0-59

Schedule (always subject to change: please read every e-mail you receive from me and check D2L to stay updated!)

Unit / Week/Dates / Monday / Wednesday / Friday
Intro / Week 1
January 30, Feb 1, 3 / Intro to class, to each other, and to climate change / Orientation to wilderness history and philosophy (read intro from Bohannon, pp. 1-11) / Class meets in the Student Success Center (Career Center).
Environmental Values assignment due today
Wilderness / Week 2
Feb 6, 8, 10 / Thoreau and Muir / Abbey
D2L: Dillard, “Seeing” / Deloria and Sponsel
Week 3
Feb 13, 15, 17 / Snyder and Sanders / Burroughs and Plumwood / Cronon, “The Trouble With Wilderness”
Week 4
Feb 20, 22, 24 / Friday class: Robert Elliot, “Faking Nature” / No class (instructor is away) / No class (instructor is away)
Leopold / Week 5
Feb 27, March 1, 3 / Discussion Day / Discussion roundtable: 12 authors and a case study on wilderness / Sand County Almanac day 1 – pp. 3-24, 40-46, 70-82
SATURDAY FIELD TRIP, March 4th, to Leopold’s Shack
Week 6
March 6, 8, 10 / No class today – please attend showing of Green Fire, 7pm in Reeve theater / Sand County Almanac day 2 – pp. 101-146, 188-201, 211-222 / Sand County Almanac day 3 – pp. 237-295
Garden / Week 7
March 13, 15, 17 / Leopold Assignment Due Today
GREEN CAREERS PANEL during class (located in the career center) / Pollan / Gould (in textbook) and Berry (on D2L)
SPRING BREAK
Week 8
March 27, 29, 31 / D2L: Genesis 1-3, also 6-9.
Resume and Cover Letters Due Today / Wirzba and Taylor / TBA
Week 9
April 3, 5, 7 / Hamed and Meyer / Maathai and Shiva / Discussion Day
City / Week 10
April 10, 12, 14 / Discussion roundtable: 12 authors and a case study on agriculture / Writing Day 1 / D2L: Carson, Silent Spring (chapter 1 and 2) and interview about soundscapes
Week 11
April 17, 19, 21 / D2L: The Eco-Modernist Manifesto; Hamilton on Eco-Modernism / D2L: Selection from Robert Bullard, Dumping in Dixie. / McFague
This week is Earth Week! Please plan to attend related events!
Week 12
April 24, 26, 28 / Daniell and Kjellberg
Draft of Final Paper Due Today / Brown and Merchant / Benstein and Abdul-Matin
Week 13
May 1, 3, 5 / Kearns and Cone / D2L: Selection from Winona LaDuke, All Our Relations. / Writing Day 2
Conclusion / Week 14
May 8, 10, 12 / Discussion roundtable: 12 authors and a case study on urban environmental issues / Final discussion and in-class Sending Forth assignment / Final papers due

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