HECU3592: Environmental Sustainability: Ecology and Socio-ecological Systems Change

Since our original hunter-gatherer communities, humans have had an impact, sometimes quite negative, on our environment. What is different now, since the ?Great Acceleration? that began in the mid-twentieth century, is that our environmental impacts are global in scope and potentially catastrophic in scale. Learning to become ecologically wise is thus a priority for all of humanity in the twenty-first century. Socio-Ecological Systems bridges political science and environmental sciences with the intent of fostering policy responses that help human society apply ecological wisdom in a timely manner at worst, and in an ecologically regenerative manner at best. In this course, we will integrate questions regarding sustainability challenges of water, forest, wetland, climate, soil, with those involving people, cultures, politics, and economy in a comprehensive, integral framework. This investigation will build students? ability to see complex dynamics more clearly, and prepare students to be part of efforts to create ecologically wise policy and practices for a more sustainable future. This course is one of four courses which make up the Environmental Sustainability: Ecology, Policy and Social Transformation Program taught by Study Away partner HECUA. Concurrent registration is required in 3591, in 3593, and in 3594, Fall semester program. Dept consent required.

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