Introduction to Environmental Anthropology: From Worry to Knowledge to Action
In the first half of 2020, COVID-19 has justifiably dominated the global airwaves and internet. Yet the more familiar killer—worsening air quality—continues to plague Korea despite the shift in public attention. While in the first few months of the pandemic the air over East Asia had become noticeably cleaner due to the shutdown of industrial manufacturing and freight, it returned to its previous levels by summer.
Because it exacerbates many underlying health conditions and increases overall mortality rates, poor air quality has vast public health implications and also affecting other systems integral to life such as water and agriculture. While many issues undoubtedly deserve our attention, environmental degradation is arguably the most pressing issue of our time due to its intersections with existing social, economic, and political inequalities.
This class will approach the issues of climate change and environmental degradation from multiple angles, including environmental humanities, psychology, public health, and climate science. The discipline of environmental anthropology engages with all of these fields by grappling with the questions of why climate change is so hard to act on collectively, how we can understand our continued connection to the environment even as it shifts, and how environmental change impacts everyday lives across the world. By putting human circumstances and action at the center, environmental anthropology is uniquely useful in moving from grappling with anxiety and worry to gaining knowledge that enables meaningful action for climate justice.
ASSIGNMENTS:
Reading and discussing environmental anthropology texts
Writing a carefully crafted opinion piece (or similar short piece of writing) suitable for publication, according to student interests
