Colloquium 275 - Climate Justice Case Studies

In this research tutorial students will produce scholarship that advances our thinking on how best to address the climate crisis while promoting improved well-being for people and greater stability across the earth systems upon which all life depends. In particular, students will learn how to conduct rigorous case study analyses of innovative policies and practices around the world that represent some of the best examples of work toward a “just transition” to a decarbonized economy.  We will develop international case studies in key climate-relevant sectors (e.g., transportation, energy, housing, industrial production, governance) that may inform action across cultural, social, and economic contexts, including here in the United States. Students will learn to conduct a literature review, identify key research questions that advance existing knowledge, and the components of case study analyses. They will learn qualitative and historical methods used in case study analyses that allow us to understand the evolution and impact of the policies and practices on which we focus. They will also have the opportunity to interview and/or collect oral histories of key actors involved in work toward a just transition internationally. 

This course is part of a tutorial series that engages Amherst students in substantive research with faculty in the humanities and humanistic social sciences.

Open to sophomores and juniors interested in research. Limited to 6 students. Admission may require consent of the instructor. Spring Semester 2026. Professor Holleman.

How to handle overenrollment: Priority given to Sociology and Environmental Studies majors who commit to continue work in the Summer of 2026

Students who enroll in this course will likely encounter and be expected to engage in the following intellectual skills, modes of learning, and assessment: Commitment to six weeks of paid research on campus in the summer of 2026. Other expectations include an emphasis on written work, readings, independent research, oral presentations, and group work. Attendance in each class period is a requirement.