Readings in Environmental History: Classics and Cases

Environmental concerns have come of age*and will undoubtedly continue to intensify in the future. But our rediscovered enthusiasm for the field sometimes obscures its long intellectual heritage; too often we ignore the depth, range, and wisdom of earlier writings in this field. Course readings will first explore some classic works of environmental history, focusing on (but not exclusive to) the US. We will then examine in depth the historical struggle over access to water in the US west. How do individual needs, commercial demands, and social values all intersect in determining access to water? And what do these decisions reveal of the basic values of a society? In addition to short papers on the readings, students will be asked to select a particular writer, theme, or episode to examine in depth in light of the course readings. Individual cases can be selected from fields outside the US (or addressed in a comparative framework).