Environmental Humanities Program

Though the sciences provide basic insight into environmental issues, a growing number of scholars, policymakers, and environmental professionals have recognized that many of the most basic environmental questions are humanistic. Why do we have environmental problems? What shapes our ideas about the human place in nature? How has our relationship to the non-human world changed over time? The work in environmental history, environmental literature, and environmental ethics now is especially rich. This minor will give students the chance to think more rigorously and imaginatively about environmental issues by integrating the insights of many disciplines.

The field of Environmental Humanities is (by its very definition) a synthesis of the humanities, and complements the sciences and public policy. It is designed to be attractive to two distinct groups of students: those in the sciences hoping to deepen their understanding of environmental issues and to learn more effective means of communicating their own work; and those in the humanities wishing to study complex environmental issues without having to major in the sciences. Both groups of students would be very well served by the minor as they pursue graduate or professional work in this important and growing field.

The 18-credit Environmental Humanities minor requires that students take three core courses and three electives. Interested students should contact Prof. McKay Jenkins for more information.

Programs

Minor

Environmental Humanities Minor

Print this Page