INTRO TO ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES
 
    During Fall and Winter quarters our goal is to examine the relationship between humans and the environment, in terms of the historical development of that relationship and the interplay between human social philosophies and changing conceptualizations of nature that have developed in ecological science.  We will develop an understanding of contemporary views of nature and the human-nature interaction from both social science and natural science perspectives.
    To make this scheme manageable we will work with the five interdisciplinary categories listed below, in each case 1) developing concepts and theories in comparative natural and human contexts; and 2) using historical and contemporary examples, with a particular eye to those concerning the Pacific Northwest.
    We will examine the first and second categories in Fall quarter, the third, fourth, and fifth in Winter quarter.
    First, Distribution and Abundance:  Nature:  commonness and rarity of species, community structures, spatial distribution.  Humans:  population distribution relative to resources.
    Second, Competition and Cooperation:  Nature:  predation, mutualism, altruism, symbiosis, parasitism, commensualism, exploitation vs. interference mechanisms, realized vs. potential niches.  Humans:  principles of capitalism:  power as access to and control over resources, property, imperialism and globalization.  Historical conflicts with indigenous societies.
    Third, Change:  Nature:  organic evolution, genetics, selection, speciation, punctuated equilibrium, gradualism.  Humans:  cultural vs. genetic evolution, gradual vs. revolutionary change.
    Fourth, Equilibrium vs. Non-equilibrium:  Nature:  Balance of nature, island biogeography.  Humans:  progress, development vs. preservation, sustainability.
    Fifth, Diversity:  Nature:  homogeneity-heterogeneity, habitat disturbance, management policies for diversity.  Valuing diversity, ecosystem services.  Humans:  the Coca-Colanization of the world and resistance, multiculturalism, romance/realism.
    We will use a diverse combination of approaches to learning, including hands-on research in the Library, the field, and the community.  We will also have substantial readings in the natural and social sciences focused on the environment.  There will be ample discussion, tests, academic field trips, and writing assignments.  Please note that in order to ensure that students have read material assigned for lecture periods, we will have frequent quizzes.
 
 
 
 
 PORTFOLIOS
    You are responsible for maintaining a complete portfolio of your work for the program.  It should contain your responses to quizzes and exams, your journal, the rough drafts and final copies of your essays, and any other writing or evidence of your work.  You will organize it by category and date, and hand it to your seminar leader to inform her/his evaluation of you at the end of each quarter.
    Please Note:  It is your responsibility to make xeroxes of your work as insurance against loss.

FACULTY                       Office                            Phone                Office Hours
Peta Henderson                Lab II  3253                    6760                    W, 9-10, and by appt.
Peter Pearman                  Lab I   3012                    6543                     W, 1-2, and by appt.
Brian Price                        Lab I  1006                     6743                    W, 9-10, and by appt

Program Secretaries
Pam Udovich                    Lab I  1020                    6600
Tony Leahy                      Lab I   1018
 

WEEKLY SCHEDULE

 
 TEXTS
 

IES STUDENTS