FEATURED COURSES · FALL 2019
Thinking through History with Animals
History/Envir St 369
NASA
Tue / Thurs
2:30 - 3:45 PM
3 credits
Instructor
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Animals are everywhere in human history, but are rarely credited as important historical players. In this class, we move animals to center stage. From the army of pigs that helped Hernando de Soto invade the southeastern United States to the dogs that pioneered space exploration, animals have changed the course of history.
You’ll learn about how human relationships with other animals have changed over time, from early domestication, through exploration and imperialism, to contemporary agriculture, development, and pet-keeping and conservation. We will explore these questions through a combination of class discussions, lectures, and first-hand animal encounters. You’ll complete mini-projects by conducting archival research and participant observation to investigate human-animal relationships in Madison and across the globe.
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