EVS 220—Nature Through Time

Environmental history concerns two of the most important factors that make us human: our sense of place and our sense of time. Where are we and how did we get here? This course, Nature Through Time, dives into the interrelation of human actions and their environmental consequences. We will explore both the history of environmental degradation and activism to gain a better understanding of the strides we’ve made and the challenges we continue to face. Likewise, we will spend time unpacking the terms ‘nature’ and ‘history’ as concepts which humans define and redefine, shaping our relationship to the world around us. We will explore how the concept of “Nature” is particularly Western and assumes specific relationships between us and the environment, and we will compare this to other world views.