Social Thought & Polic. Econ 291CE - Capitalism and the Environment

This two-credit course is designed to explore the ecological crisis through the lens of both social/environmental theory and political economy. We will specifically address the capitalist system and its relationship to the environment, noting the limits of growth and any future possibilities of environmental sustainability. This class will look to investigate: -The origins of capitalist development -Understanding the expansive nature of capital -How this global economic system interacts with the environment -Do humans have any ethical obligations to the natural world? -Can we put a monetary price on clean air, forests, the ozone layer, or the extinction of certain species? -The market's response to the crisis -How cities are responding to the ecological crisis -Critiques of the current system and alternatives.