3.0

credits

Average Course Rating

Coastal, arctic, and arid ecosystems are significantly affected by climate change. This course invites us to think about small rural communities that have been profoundly affected by climate change. By exploring multiple ethnographic case studies and applying multiple theoretical models, the course offers anthropological insights into how the people in these areas interact with their environment over their lives. While examining the inhabitants’ knowledge-based views of climate and local socioecological systems, students in this course will develop more robust, flexible models of anthropological analysis for climate change (in general) and for smaller ecosystems (in particular). By examining the impact of climate devastation on the local scale, the course contributes to a better understanding of how environmental changes impact people, traditions, economies, politics and health on the global scale, and help students develop new ideas for effective climate communication, community engagement, and the development of future climate and energy policy that addresses the needs of communities.