Race, Colonialism, Environment

ENVIR ST 404 LEC 003
Tuesday/Thursday, 9:30–10:45 a.m.
3 credits

Instructor

Course Description

This small seminar (not a lecture course) will explore histories of ideas about race, racism, white supremacy, and settler colonialism as they relate to environmentalism and environmental science in the past and today. Topics covered will include the colonial history of natural history and the earth sciences, environmental determinism, scientific racism, and the relationship between the Eugenics movement and national parks conservation.

We will take a historical approach to understanding how racism became institutionalized in the environmental sciences. We will also study movements to address racial and ethnic inequalities by studying the works of environmental scientists of color as well as contemporary campaigns to promote change, such as #BlackBotanists, #BlackBirders, #NativeSTEM and #IndigenousScience.

The course will be reading and discussion heavy and will deal with challenging issues. Students will participate in an oral history project documenting the experiences of minoritized students and faculty in the sciences at the UW-Madison. There are no prerequisites besides sophomore standing, but an open mind and interest or experience in the sciences and environmentalism are recommended.