Government 364 - SEMINAR IN POLITICAL THEORY

In 2000, climate scientists suggested for the first time that we might have entered a new geological epoch known as the Anthropocene in the late 18th century. The Anthropocene is primarily characterized by the prevalence of anthropogenic (human-caused) effects on the environment. That is, they suggested, the most important aspect differentiating this geological epoch from those that preceded it is the ability of humans to change the environment itself. This seminar investigates the implications of the Anthropocene for political theory, asking how politics, political action, and the formation of political goals may be affected in the context of a world that is literally being changed by human activity.

Topic: Changing the World: The Political Theory of the Anthropocene. Instructor permission. Not open to first-years, sophomores