HUXLEY COLLEGE OF ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

ENVR 305 (CRN 10381), ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORY AND ETHICS, Win. 2001

Location: Miller 163. Time: MTWF 11:00pm-11:50pm

Instructor: Gene Myers, Ph.D.

Office, etc: AH 224; Ph: x4775; fax: x7702; ms 9085; mailbox in AH217; gmyers@cc.wwu.edu

Office Hours: Tues 1-2; Fri 9-10; sign up on office door preferred; or appt.

TA: Amber Pearson (amberp37@hotmail.com)

OVERVIEW AND AIMS:

This course challenges you to reflect on your values as they relate to decisions you are likely to face in your career, your personal life, and your life as an environmentally committed citizen. It also will increase your understanding of the past which gave rise to our current dilemmas--and our evolving ethics. We will use some primary sources, plus the literatures of contemporary environmental history (EH) and environmental ethics (EE). The coverage of EH and EE will not be comprehensive, but rather we will explore them as they revolve around a selection of current issues (see list below, and webpages). Our main emphasis will not be the issues per se, but the underlying human choices, past and present. The goal is to apply the perspectives and methods of EH and EE in settings like those you'll be involved in professionally. This course will help you gain skills and perspectives to that end:

• Becoming sensitive to, identifying, and defining ethical dimensions of environmental issues

• Using a historical perspective to increase your grasp of an issue.

• Qualifying your judgments of the past with an appreciation of context.

• Balancing your professional role and its responsibilities with your personal environmental values.

• Tempering hopelessness, impatience, or a rosy-view with understanding of history.

• Identifying enduring and changing elements of cultural worldviews in present controversies.

• Increasing the scope of your frame of reference you bring to environmental decision-making.

• Helping you integrate areas of study at Huxley.

 REQUIREMENTS:

Attendance - You are responsible and accountable for all information conveyed in all class sessions. Since there is a strong emphasis on discussion, you may lose significantly if you miss class.

Discussion - Come ready to discuss the readings. The web pages provide some general guidelines on what to prepare for, but you should have a firm grasp on all aspects of the reading if you expect to contribute at an "A" level. I may use some devices to encourage participation, but it is generally up to you to make yourself heard. Discussion participation will count significantly in your grade.

Debate - Each person must be on one panel for a debate. There will be five debates throughout the term, and the topics are already designated (see unit web pages). You will sign up for teams early in the term to allow preparation and coordination. You should expect to master the course readings for the unit you are debating, do some optional and outside reading as well, and meet to prepare with your teammates.  A webpage will explain debate evaluation.

Written assignments

1) Unit #1 - essay on your personal, professional and civic ethics & solutions to Lake Whatcom water quality. Required. Due Jan. 26, in class.

2) Unit #2 - take home short answer / short essay exam. Required. Due Feb. 5, in class.

3) Two 7-page papers on the three remaining units, but you choose which one to eliminate so that you end up doing two. These papers are based on course material, and ask you to demonstrate mastery of it and of ways of thinking the course aims to develop. Details are given on the webpages. Unit #3 due Feb. 23; #4 Mar. 9; #5 Mar. 20. Papers must be typed and double-spaced. Use of reclaimed paper & avoidance of excess paper encouraged. Use a consistent citation style (Chicago or MLA). Papers will be evaluated according to the rubrics linked to assignment web pages.

EVALUATION:

Grading totals 100 as follows:
Unit #1 essay                                    14
Unit #2 take-home exam                   14
Units 3-5, two 7-page papers           24+24
Debate participation                            8
Class attendance & participation         8 + 8
Late assignments: -1 pt for same day after due time; -1 pt for each day after the due date.
 

Grading breakdown:
90-100  A
80-89   B
70-79   C
60-69   D
below 60  F

TEXTS:

The following will be available at the bookstore:

• Readings book for Envr 305.

• Durning, Alan. How Much is Enough? New York: Norton, 1992.

• Other required and optional readings are linked to the webpages for each section of the course.


ESSENTIAL COURSE HOMEPAGE: http://www.ac.wwu.edu/~gmyers/ehe/

PARTICIPATION PROTOCOL

A range of perspectives, approaches, and philosophies will be covered throughout the quarter. I expect many of the topics to generate dynamic and engaging dialogue. While a breadth of positions and arguments is welcomed and encouraged, four conventions must be observed throughout all sessions:

ACTIVE LISTENING-- hearing and listening are not identical; conscious attention to respect for a speaker's words and potential meanings is essential.

RESPECT-- showing consideration for alternative viewpoints in a manner which continues dialogue without denigrating the dignity of other participants.

DIGNITY-- remembering and acknowledging the personal integrity (physical, intellectual, emotional and spiritual) of each participant.

REFLEXIVITY-- a willingness to employ self-critique and consider collegial constructive criticism.

 AGENDA OF TOPICS (see calendar and detailed pages on web)
Unit 1, Lake Whatcom Water Quality: History & Future of a Local Env. Ethics Issue, Jan. 10-23.

Unit 2, Environment in Western Cultural History, Jan 24-Feb 2.

Unit 3, Land Management, Wilderness and Endangered Species, Feb. 6-Feb. 20.

Unit 4, Hanford: Nuclear Energy & Waste in Time, Place & Ethics, Feb. 21-Mar. 5.

Unit 5, Consumerism v Frugality: Personal Choices, Policy Dimensions, Mar. 6-Mar. 16.