Environmental Action on Global Warming:

Description

What can we do together about global warming? The evidence for global warming is overwhelming, not only that it will happen, but that it is happening. As individuals, we can check off lists of “10 things a person can do about global warming.” Yet this crisis is global in scale, will take decades to address, and most of us feel uninformed and powerless to make a difference. What can ordinary people do about such a massive problem? Our power as individuals is limited. But as citizens acting together , our prospects are more hopeful and promising. In this half-time program with a 12-credit option, we will develop projects that deepen community awareness of global warming and offer citizens tools to make a meaningful difference. To ground this work, we will study the multiple levels of citizenship from local to global with respect to human society and the natural world. Students will learn both theory and practices of effective citizenship. Major areas of study will include environmental studies, political philosophy, and political science. Those students wishing to pursue the 12 rather than 8-credit option will either develop a series of community showings and workshops constructed around the Gore film An Inconvenient Truth , or will work to develop key fact sheets for the regional non-profit Climate Solutions.

Required Work for the program will include:

Regular readings of 50-150 pages each week

• full participation in the activities of each class meeting
• weekly initial and revised written responses
• Ongoing project work throughout term
• Final Presentation
• Final Written Report on Project
• Maintenance of Program Portfolio
• Submission of Transcript Self-Evaluation

Texts:

• Dahl, On Democracy
• Benhabib, Democracy and Difference
• Durning, This Place on Earth (available as pdf at Sightline.org)

Additional readings will be distributed or are available online

Selections from John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, and others will be placed on reserve in the library as well as accessible here on this site.