Courses

Are women really closer to nature? Are women more deeply impacted by environmental degradation than men? Why do women make up the majority of the world's environmental activists? We will debate these questions and more as we consider how ecological narratives and practices are constructed at the intersections of gendered, raced, classed, and sexual identities. This course explores the work of artists, activists, and scholars to show how women and men have been at the forefront of struggles to reclaim their homes, communities and lands from patriarchal and (neo)colonial oppression. Topics include: ecofeminism, environmental racism and the environmental justice movement, queer ecologies, food politics, ecological economies, and eco-spiritual traditions. By the end of the term, you will be able to map some of the key debates in these fields and determine your own beliefs about philosophies and best practices for social-environmental justice.