This course will focus on the history of mankind's relationship with the natural world. The student will examine how environmental factors have shaped the development and growth of civilizations around the world and analyze how these civilizations have altered their environments in positive and negative ways. By the end of the course, the student will better understand the reciprocal relationship between human beings and the natural environment and how this relationship has evolved throughout human history. Upon successful completion of this course, the student will be able to: think critically about the historical relationship between humans and the natural environment; identify how early humans modified and adapted natural resources for agricultural and commercial purposes; analyze how human settlements altered the natural environment and evaluate how environmental factors shaped the growth of early civilizations; evaluate how new agricultural and commercial practices altered the natural environment across the globe during the Middle Ages; identify how environmental factors, such as disease and pollution, shaped political and social life in Europe during the Early-Modern Era; evaluate how the Columbian Exchange resulted in significant ecological and biological changes in Europe and the Americas and dramatically altered human societies on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean; analyze the impact of industrialization on human society during the Modern Era and evaluate how governmental and nongovernmental actors have attempted to ameliorate the negative environmental consequences of industrialization; identify current environmental challenges facing humanity and analyze these challenges from a historical perspective; analyze and interpret primary and secondary source documents relating to environmental history using historical research methods. (History 364)

The aim of this course is to enable participants to bring together materials from various disciplines bearing on our current environmental crisis, and from this integrated perspective to evaluate possible ways in which the crisis might be resolved. Disciplines to be consulted include ecology, thermodynamics, economics, value theory, and environmental history, among others. This project will rely on the integrative skills of philosophy to discern how materials from these disparate sources fit together.

'Funeral' is a collage-style work that incorporates images of many different landscapes. As voices apologize, the viewer is subjected to images of moving trains, a cabin in the woods, mountains, and a hawk moving through the sky. Dizzying and sometimes out of focus, the piece incorporates still and projected images into its ever-moving scenery. Some black-and-white pictures appear. 'Funeral,' which is approximately six minutes long, was conceived by Marina Zurkow, with Abigail Simon serving as a collaborator.

'Hall's Crossing' refers to a place in the American West where natural rhythms collide with scenic cruisers and tour buses. 'Hall's Crossing' is an electronic 'see America,' set in a place where natural vistas and cultural myths overlap, a place where the canyon meets the road. Scenes of the Grand Canyon portray both the beauty of the area and its invasion by tourists. The tourists attempt to capture the imagery through the medium of photography. At one point a narrator, Dr. Giselda Benda, speaks a foreign language. The electronic and vocal score was composed by Meredith Monk. The work was broadcast as a segment of episode 609 (1990), and episode 301 (1993), of 'New Television.'

'I Do Not Know What It Is that I Am Like' juxtaposes images of animals, both wild and domestic, and natural environments with human activity as it takes place in an apartment, and during a fire walking ceremony in Fiji. Documentary-style footage is combined with staged events. Despite the piece's lack of a traditional narrative, it bears some relationship to nature works. The segment features material from 'Il Corpo Scuro (The dark body)' animals and natural environments are seen up close and at a distance.

This 4 week module, supported by powerpoint slides, uses climate change to explore key environmental and geographical issues, including justice scale, international equality, global political processes, and environmental change. We begin by examining the foundation and principles of the environmental movement, distinguishing between different types of environmentalism and articulating early environmental conflicts between the North and South. We then develop ideas of environmental justice and how it applies to climate change.

Focusing primarily on the period since 1500, explores the influence of climate, topography, plants, animals, and microorganisms on human history and the reciprocal influence of people on the environment. Topics include the European encounter with the Americas, the impact of modern technology, and the historical roots of the current environmental crisis.

This class examines tools, data, and ideas related to past climate changes as seen in marine, ice core, and continental records. The most recent climate changes (mainly the past 500,000 years, ranging up to about 2 million years ago) will be emphasized. Quantitative tools for the examination of paleoceanographic data will be introduced (statistics, factor analysis, time series analysis, simple climatology).

" This class examines tools, data, and ideas related to past climate changes as seen in marine, ice core, and continental records. The most recent climate changes (mainly the past 500,000 years, ranging up to about 2 million years ago) will be emphasized. Quantitative tools for the examination of paleoceanographic data will be introduced (statistics, factor analysis, time series analysis, simple climatology)."

This activity is a field investigation of plant succession stages, which students will gather evidence of the areas plant history.

Documentary told from the point of view of a middle-aged Dutch man who visits his older marine biologist brother who lives in the Galapagos Islands. He explores the nature, history, and inhabitants of the island while observing and commenting on his brother's ability to communicate with nature. Contains beautiful scenes of the islands and their wildlife, while subtly commenting on man's interference on the islands. Interesting in that approximately half of the work consists of still shots. In German, subtitled in English. Approximately 48 minutes in length. Produced by TAG/TRAUM. Directed by Stephan Koster.

We will doggedly ask two questions in this class: "What is history?" and "How do you do it in 2010?" In pursuit of the answers, we will survey a variety of approaches to the past used by historians writing in the last several decades. We will examine how these historians conceive of their object of study, how they use primary sources as a basis for their accounts, how they structure the narrative and analytical discussion of their topic, and the advantages and limitations of their approaches.