HONOR 3290 - People and Nature, Past and Future

Are people part of nature? In this course we will explore a variety of approaches taken by scientists and other experts to this question. Through the close reading of peer-reviewed articles, students will learn to articulate the scientific processes and philosophies that inform our understanding of the human relationship with the non-human world and deconstruct concepts that imply a separation between humans and nature. We’ll explore topics in ecology, conservation biology, anthropology, ecosystem services, environmental justice, complex systems, and more. Students will gain conceptual tools that will allow them to critically examine how perspectives on the human-nature relationship inform policy- and decision-making processes within governments, NGOs and the private sector. By linking social and ecological systems, we’ll build an interdisciplinary framework for imagining the future of humanity as ecological citizens.