Courses
Courses offered in the past four years.
▲ indicates offered in the current term
▹ indicates offered in the upcoming term[s]
ENVS 0104 - Nature Writing
Nature Writing
In this course we will both study American nature writing in the tradition of Henry David Thoreau and pursue our own journal-based writing practice. Nature writing is a genre centered on personal, narrative essays-informed by an appreciative awareness of science and at the same time open to the spiritual, emotional, and aesthetic significance of the natural world. Among the authors to be read will by Edward Abbey, Annie Dillard, Barry Lopez, and Terry Tempest Williams. Field trips will allow us to explore the environment around Middlebury.
Spring 2010
ENVS 0112 - Natural Science & Environment ▲ ▹
Natural Science and the Environment
We will explore in detail a series of current environmental issues in order to learn how knowledge of principles of biology, chemistry, geology, and physics helps us to identify and understand environmental problems and to shape policies for effective solutions. Topics covered will emphasize transnational environmental issues, including global warming, ozone, species extinction, human population growth, and world food production. 3 hrs. lect., 3 hrs. lab.
Spring 2009, Fall 2009, Spring 2010, Fall 2010, Spring 2011, Fall 2011, Spring 2012, Fall 2012, Spring 2013, Fall 2013, Spring 2014
ENVS 0210 - Social Class & the Environment ▹
Social Class and the Environment
In this course we will explore the consequence of growth, technological development, and the evolution of ecological sacrifice zones. Texts will serve as the theoretical framework for in-the-field investigations, classroom work, and real-world experience. The Struggle for Environmental Justice outlines resistance models; Shadow Cities provides lessons from the squatters movement; Ben Hewitt's The Town that Food Saved describes economy of scale solutions, and David Owen's The Conundrum challenges environmentalism. Texts will guide discussions, serve as lenses for in-the-field investigations, and the basis for writing. We will also travel to Hardwick and Putney, Vermont, to explore new economic-environmental models. (Not open to students who have taken ENVS/WRPR 1014)
Spring 2013, Spring 2014
ENVS 0211 - Conservation & Env Policy ▲ ▹
Topic determined by instructor - please refer to the section.
NOR SOCSpring 2009, Fall 2009, Spring 2010, Fall 2010, Spring 2011, Fall 2011, Fall 2012, Spring 2013, Fall 2013, Spring 2014
ENVS 0215 - Nature's Meanings ▲ ▹
Topic determined by the instructor - please refer to the section.
NORSpring 2009, Fall 2009, Spring 2010, Fall 2010, Spring 2011, Fall 2011, Spring 2012, Fall 2012, Spring 2013, Fall 2013, Spring 2014
ENVS 0240 - The Science of Climate Change
The Science of Climate Change
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has declared “Warming of the climate system is unequivocal,” “the warmth of the last half century is unusual in at least the previous 1,300 years,” and “most of the observed increase in global average temperatures…is very likely” the result of human activities. Why do human activities affect climate? What climatic changes can we expect, and what will be their impacts? What’s the science behind the “350” movement? The answers to these questions lie, fundamentally, in the basic physical processes that govern the flows of energy to and from Earth and its atmosphere, the changing composition of the atmosphere, and materials cycling among Earth, atmosphere, and oceans. This course explores these processes and their implications for human-induced climate change, giving students a solid grounding in the latest understandings of climate science. Students will work with real climatic data and will develop simple climate models capable of exploring future climate scenarios. This course counts as a natural science cognate. (MATH 0121 or waiver for high-school calculus) 3 hrs. lect. and workshop
Spring 2009, Spring 2012
ENVS 0270 - Environmental Chemistry
Environmental Chemistry
In this course we will investigate fundamental physical and chemical processes within soils, natural waters, and the atmosphere that affect the fate and transport of contaminants. Processes to be studied include dissolution, volatilization, sorption, and transformation reactions. Laboratory experiments will explore laboratory, field, and computational methods for pollution monitoring, contaminant characterization, and prediction of pollution fate and transport. (CHEM 0104 or CHEM 0107) 3 hrs. lect., 3 hrs lab
Spring 2009, Spring 2010
ENVS 0277 - Body & Earth ▲ ▹
Body and Earth
This course has been designed for students with an interest in the dialogue between the science of body and the science of place. Its goals are to enhance movement efficiency through experiential anatomy and to heighten participants' sensitivity to natural processes and forms in the Vermont bioregion. Weekly movement sessions, essays by nature writers, and writing assignments about place encourage synthesis of personal experience with factual information. Beyond the exams and formal writing assignments, members of the class will present a final research project and maintain an exploratory journal. 3 hrs. lect. 1 hr. lab.
Spring 2011, Fall 2011, Spring 2012, Fall 2012, Fall 2013, Spring 2014
ENVS 0340 - Social Movements
Social Movements, Theory, and Practice
There are many ways to affect politics, from voting to lobbying to corrupting leaders. But building social movements--from the civil rights movment to the Tea Parties--is one of the most powerful and positive approaches. This course will examine the history and structure of movements from the left, right, and middle, try to figure out how conditions have changed in an internet age, and allow students to develop particular strategies for campaigns that interest them. (This course counts as a policy focus elective for ENVS-EP majors)
Spring 2011
ENVS 0352 - Wordsworth & Basho
Wordsworth and Basho
In this seminar we will compare the writing of William Wordsworth, a founder of English Romantic poetry and the most revered poet of nature in the English tradition, with that of Basho, who brought a new depth to the haiku form and shaped Japanese attitudes toward the natural world. Beyond reading widely in the the works of both authors, we will investigate their sharply contrasting religious, aesthetic, and political contexts. Despite the historical and cultural gaps between them, though, these poets also show surprising similarities. Wordsworth and Basho were both prodigious walkers, whose poems resulted from moments of inspiration along the path. They both far preferred country life and its simple pleasures to the world of wealth and luxury, and found in their modest lives images that conveyed transcendent realities. In acknowledgment of the poets' own affinities, we will look for opportunities to complement our discussions by walking, writing, and drawing together out of doors.
Spring 2010
ENVS 0360 - Env Science Practicum
Research Methods in Vermont Environmental Science
In this course students will have a hands-on opportunity to study the local and regional environment through the lens of interdisciplinary scientific research. Through a class research project that integrates knowledge and techniques across the disciplines of biology, chemistry, geology, and physics, students will gain experience conducting research in the environmental sciences, acquire a practical understanding of the interdisciplinary nature of environmental science, and develop an appreciation for the power of science to elucidate environmental processes. Projects change from year to year and are designed to introduce you to field and laboratory data collection and the use of statistics and GIS to analyze and present findings. Recent projects have examined relationships among biota, bedrock and soils within the context of acid rain and maple syrup composition (final reports from past projects are available on the Environmental Studies service learning webpage). (ENVS 0112, plus at least one lab course in biology, chemistry, geology, or physics) 2 hrs. lect., 3 hrs. lab
Spring 2009
ENVS 0377 - Nature and Creativity
Nature and Creativity
In this course we will explore the relationship between the creative process and natural processes and phenomena. Among our activities will be: weekly outdoor sessions of observation, journal writing, and sketching; reading of essays by contemporary nature writers and scientists; and movement practices including the discipline of Authentic Movement focusing on the connection between the human body and the environment. Background in Environmental Studies plus previous experience in one of the arts is recommended. 3 hrs. lect./disc. 1 hr. lab
Fall 2009
ENVS 0380 - Global Challenges ▲
Global Challenges of the 21st Century
In this course we will begin by studying theories of social and political change, and then we will analyze the systematic causes of poverty and environmental degradation around the world. We will then study prospective solutions, focusing on the role of selective members of global civil society, including social entrepreneurs, in achieving these solutions. Over the course of the semester, each student will prepare a comprehensive analysis on how to tackle and overcome a specific global challenge. This course is equivalent to INTL 0380 (ENVS 0211 or PSCI 0214) 3 hrs. sem. (International Relations and Foreign Policy)/
Winter 2011, Fall 2012, Fall 2013
ENVS 0390 - Env Negotiation/Dispute Res ▹
Environmental Negotiation and Dispute Resolution
In this seminar, we will gain an understanding of environmental negotiation and dispute resolution as applied to public policy at both the domestic and international levels. We will consider the mutual gains approach to negotiation, facilitation, mediation, and dispute systems design. We will grapple with challenging features typical of environmental negotiations, such as the large number of stakeholders involved, scientific uncertainty, and value differences. We will undertake role-playing simulations. Throughout, we will think critically about the negotiating styles and assumptions employed by both seminar participants and those presented in course materials. (Junior or Senior standing; Sophomores by approval; ENVS 0211 or IGST 0101 or PSCI 0109). 3 hrs. sem. (International Relations and Foreign Policy)/
Fall 2011, Fall 2012, Spring 2014
ENVS 0401 - Environmental Studies Sr Sem ▲ ▹
Environmental Studies Senior Seminar
A single environmental topic will be explored through reading, discussion, and individual research. Topics will vary from semester to semester, but will focus on issues with relevance to the local region and with interdisciplinary dimensions, such as temperate forests, lake ecosystems, or public lands policy. The class involves extensive reading, student-led discussions, and a collaborative research project. (Senior standing; ENVS 0112, ENVS 0211, ENVS 0215, and GEOG 0120) 3 hrs. sem./3 hrs. lab
Spring 2009, Fall 2009, Winter 2010, Spring 2010, Fall 2010, Spring 2011, Fall 2011, Spring 2012, Fall 2012, Spring 2013, Fall 2013, Spring 2014
ENVS 0402 - World Rivers, Lit., Policy
World Rivers, Transboundary Stories: Global Literature and Environmental Policy
Rivers are vital features in the lives of people, nations, and the environment. In this interdisciplinary course we will draw on literary studies and environmental policy to explore how narratives about rivers are constructed and the significance of these stories for how we manage transboundary rivers, which flow across physical, political, and cultural borders. We will draw on literature from around the world, such as The Hungry Tide, by Amitav Ghosh, and Adrift on the Nile, by Naguib Mahfouz, and on historical, legal, political and scientific sources in order to discuss concepts in transboundary river policy, such as freedom of navigation, the watershed, and integrated water resources management. We will examine how these concepts, in turn, shape literary narratives. This course is equivalent to IGST 0402.
Spring 2013
ENVS 0445 - Novels Environmental Justice ▹
Recent Novels of Environmental Justice
In recent years environmental justice has emerged as a major topic in the humanities. This intersection of environmentalism and social justice is motivated by a concern for the differential access to natural resources (clean water, clean air, tillable land) afforded to different groups of people within particular social systems. Students will encounter these themes thorugh the reading of many global Anglophone novels, including Waterland, by Graham Swift; The Hungry Tide, by Amitav Ghosh; Animal's People, by Indra Sinha; A Thousand Acres, by Jane Smiley; Ceremony, by Leslie Marmon Silko; and Disgrace, by J.M. Coetzee. 3 hrs. sem.
Spring 2014
ENVS 0500 - Independent Study ▲ ▹
Independent Study
A one- or two-semester research project on a topic that relates to the relationship between humans and the environment. The project, carried out under the supervision of a faculty member with related expertise, must involve a significant amount of independent research and analysis. Students may enroll in ENVS 0500 no more than twice for a given project. (Approval only)
Spring 2009, Fall 2009, Winter 2010, Spring 2010, Fall 2010, Winter 2011, Spring 2011, Fall 2011, Winter 2012, Spring 2012, Fall 2012, Winter 2013, Spring 2013, Fall 2013, Spring 2014
ENVS 0700 - ES Senior Honors Work ▲ ▹
Senior Honors Work
The final semester of a multi-semester research project on a topic pertinent to the relationship between humans and the environment. Students may enroll in ENVS 0700 only once. (Previous work would have been conducted as one or two semesters of an ENVS 0500 Independent Study project.) The project, carried out under the supervision of a faculty member, will result in a substantial piece of writing, and will be presented to other ENVS faculty and students in a public forum. (Senior standing; ENVS 0112, ENVS 0211, ENVS 0215, GEOG 0120, and ENVS 0500; Approval only)
Spring 2009, Fall 2009, Winter 2010, Spring 2010, Fall 2010, Winter 2011, Spring 2011, Fall 2011, Winter 2012, Spring 2012, Fall 2012, Winter 2013, Spring 2013, Fall 2013, Spring 2014
ENVS 1013 - Corporate Soc Responsibility
Corporate Social Responsibility: The Nexus of Entrepreneurialism, Green Consumerism, and Sustainability
In this course we will explore the contribution of corporate social responsibility (CSR) to sustainable development and we will examine CSR’s origins in 20th century civil society efforts to focus business on social and environmental impacts; the role of responsible consumers in CSR; and CSR’s contribution to addressing global problems such as human rights and poverty. We will examine case studies of small, medium, and large transnational corporations from Vermont, China, and Europe and analyze what makes CSR works at different scales. This overview will prepare students for research and work in businesses, NGOs, and government where CSR is increasingly important.
Winter 2010
ENVS 1014 - Class and the Environment
Class and the Environment: The Struggle for Ecological Democracy
In this course we will explore how and why, in a world being divided into consumer markets, sources of cheap labor and raw materials, and ecological sacrifice zones, the most vulnerable are disenfranchised into communities of poor and working class people. We will examine the future of the environment and “free" market economy and the prospectus of radical green and democratic movements. Through reading, writing, and discussion we will investigate such texts as The Struggle for Environmental Justice to learn how communities face the task of linking protest strategies to the building of positive alternatives.
Winter 2010
ENVS 1015 - Elevated Fictions: Lit of Mtns
Elevated Fictions: Literatures and Cultures of the Mountains
What is it about an elevated landscape that so captures the human imagination? In different parts of the world, mountains have been the abodes of the gods, sites of reverent reflection, and projections of human desire for advancement and conquest. Through comparative examination of academic, literary, and visual texts from around the world, we will explore why mountain landscapes have drawn humans to reflect their spirit into and onto this particular topographical feature of nature. Authors will include Immanuel Kant, P.B. Shelley, William Wordsworth, Milarepa, Premendra Mitra, Edwidge Dandicat, Robert MacFarlane, and John Elder. (This course satisfies the ENAM elective credit).
Winter 2011
ENVS 1019 - Sustainable Television
Sustainable TV: Producing Environmental Media
In this project-based course, we will collaborate to produce a nonfiction television program discussing sustainability and energy issues. Students will collectively serve all roles in the project, from research and writing, to shooting and editing, resulting in a team-based environment with tight deadlines. Visiting filmmakers and experts will offer project guidance, with the final project shown on local cable, online, and possibly in conjunction with the PBS series Planet Forward. Students will be selected by application to create a team with a range of experience and expertise – prior video production or environmental studies experience is preferred but not required. (Approval required, application available at http://go.middlebury.edu/sustainabletv)
Winter 2010
ENVS 1020 - Vermont Waters
Vermont Waters: Maritime History and Aquatic Culture of the Champlain Valley
Vermont has a rich maritime history and a diversity of aquatic cultural traditions. Lake Champlain was once a watery superhighway between New York and Montreal. The state fossil is a Beluga whale skeleton from the Pleistocene. The first American woman to be licensed as a master mariner was Philomena Daniels of Vergennes. The “Flatiron skiffs” of Lake Dunmore attest to the region’s lively recreational history. In this course we will read works of environmental, cultural, and material history, as well as works of fiction by environmental novelists, that focus on the waters of Vermont. We will also collaborate with local community partners in studying material artifacts, oral history, and photographs that document Vermont’s aquatic culture. We will also contribute to its material culture by building a canoe and a skiff with local craftsmen. The reward for the students is a deeper understanding of the history and complexity of their environment and the chance to work with neighbors.
Winter 2011
ENVS 1021 - Aldo Leopold: Theory/Practice
Aldo Leopold: Theory and Practice
Aldo Leopold is perhaps the foundational thinker and practitioner of modern environmentalism. In this course we will study his life, his thought, and his actions in depth. As a humanist, a policy actor, and a scientist, Leopold's life exemplifies the interconnection and overlapping that are central to a progressive approach to human-environment interactions. In terms of ideas, Leopold was well-versed in sustainability (in forestry and game management), in preservationism (as the first to call for the creation of wilderness areas), and in ecocentrism (his essay “The Land Ethic”). We will take three outdoor field trips. (ENVS 0112 or ENVS 0211 or ENVS 0215)
Winter 2012
ENVS 1022 - Youth Climate Movement
Next Steps for the Youth Climate Movement
Efforts in the fight against climate change and the fight for climate justice have become bogged down. There is simply too big of a gap between our scientific knowledge of what is happening around the world and what the general public understands. As a result, the urgency to act is lost. In this course we will examine the current state of the climate and climate justice movement, with a specific focus on solutions and opportunities to engage youth. We will examine various models of change from the social, environmental, and business sectors, including theories like Seed-Scale, Positive Deviants, and Appreciative Inquiry. Students will work in small teams to explore and identify strategies for young people across divides of race, class, and ethnicity to make a difference, as well as to increase inter-generational understanding of human impacts on Earth’s climate. Through articles, case studies, and video we will explore and blend the best of several disciplines to get to ideas and solutions. Readings will include: Switch – How to Change when Change is Hard and Just and Lasting Change. This course counts as a cognate for ENVS majors with foci in the natural sciences.
Winter 2012
