Geography 690STA - Rethinking US Envirnmt Policy

This course examines the ways US lands, waters and resources are organized by policies and law, how this has changed over time, and why. We examine the interrelationships among: economic development; development of biophysical systems as economic resources; land use change; US territorial expansion; race, class, and the expropriation and exploitation of different peoples' lands, bodies and property; political mobilization to protect, conserve and clean the environment; demand for jobs and workers; and the ways land, water, property and environmental policies and laws change in order to enable and address each of these. The course proceeds roughly historically, from early commercialization of New England's lands and industrialization of New England's waters to energy siting conflicts of the present day. A key goal is creative and critical comparison: thinking about different ways land, waters, resources and policy have been or might be organized, how and why this changed or might change, and the consequences for the environment and people. Students will have a lecture/discussion class twice/week plus a more in-depth scholarly/professional reading seminar one hour/week. Additionally, you will engage in an environmental policy advocacy experience that engages with current policy and policymakers.