SOC 395-01 - Advanced Special Topic: Environmental Justice

4 credits (Fall)

This course takes a sociological approach to thinking about the relationship between ecology and inequality. Some questions we will consider include: What role do systems of social and political inequality play the distribution of environmental benefits and burdens? And how have communities attempted to confront and eradicate these harms? We will look at the historical development of Environmental Justice as a social movement, and at the way this movement has influenced academic approaches to thinking about inequality and environment. Attention will be given to sub-fields of EJ research including food justice, climate justice, and decolonial projects to defend land and water. Students will develop their own original research projects related to questions of Environmental Justice.

Prerequisite: two 200-level Sociology courses.
Note: Plus-2 option available.
Instructor: Bacon