Does nature exist? As soon as we accept that we are a part of "nature," the word becomes difficult to define. Join us as we strive to develop our own definitions of nature through our connections to land, place, and the world at large. This program requires a passion for the entire natural world: human and non-human, organic and inorganic, local and distant, familiar and foreign. We invite you to explore with us how humans have influenced nature, and how nature in turn has greatly influenced human culture.

Throughout fall and winter quarter, we will examine how people have attempted to define and comprehend nature before us, and how new definitions and meanings might emerge through interdisciplinary approaches to history, social science, and art.

Through critical reading and writing, art projects, films, and adventures in the varied terrain of Washington state, we will re-imagine our relationships to nature and challenge traditional boundaries of historical and environmentalist thinking.

Whether we find ourselves amidst towering cedars in the lush Olympic rainforest, an arid coulee in Eastern Washington, or a sea of concrete and asphalt in a Tacoma strip-mall, our quest will remain the same: to determine how we might best appreciate, understand, and enhance the wonder and beauty of this miracle planet.

Fall quarter begins with a close examination of what might be defined as "environmental ethics" through numerous readings in environmental history and literature. Critical reading and writing skills will be emphasized through weekly workshops, writing assignments, and meetings with writing tutors and peers.

Local themes, enhanced by overnight adventures and histories of the lands that surround us, will allow us to question the meaning of beauty when we speak of nature: where do we find the sublime? How can we best express it? And, most importantly, why do these questions matter? Our winter quarter readings take us beyond the comfortable "lure of the local" into unfamiliar regions often perceived as harsh and exotic.

Overnight trips will emphasize observation, reflection and analysis that ground course concepts in first-hand experience. Creative writing and printmaking projects will allow students to express their perspectives on nature and history.

Our adventure-packed two-quarter program will ensure that students will be able to explore the relationship between observer and landscape, to journey from the familiar to the distant, and to move from the known to the mysterious.
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Credit awarded in history, environmental history, literature, philosophy of art, art appreciation, cultural studies, film, printmaking, writing.
Total: 16 credits each quarter
Program is preparatory for careers and future studies in education, arts, eco-tourism, writing, history, and environmental studies.