The West of Ireland: Land and Landscape

The West of Ireland: Land and Landscape is a Cognitive Science class taught by Mark Feinstein.

This course requires instructor permission.

Course Description
In this course, students will spend two weeks in Ireland exploring a host of questions about the history, present uses, and possible futures of this remarkable land and landscape. Especially in the west, Irish culture is still deeply rooted in the land, but fewer and fewer people make their living directly from farming. How does this affect a society where, just a few decades ago, the vast majority of the population was engaged in agriculture? The beautiful landscape has been challenged by development (housing, roads, etc.) as well. Can environmental degradation be avoided or controlled? Can the treeless landscape be restored by afforestation? Should it? Is it possible (or desirable) to sustain traditional agricultural practices such as free-range sheep farming on the hills? How have changes in agriculture affected the ecology of native plants and animals? How will economic crisis, European integration, globalization, and global climate change affect Irish agriculture and land use?

Students will visit farms and afforestation projects, research centers, and important archaeological sites, as well as hear presentations by Irish scientists and farmers. There will be readings and discussion about a wide range of issues from diverse fields, including ecology, agricultural science, geology, environmental sciences, history, and politics. A thoughtful, detailed written journal must be submitted at the end of the course by all participants.

Students who want Division I credit must also propose a project or analytical paper on a relevant topic of their choosing, in consultation with the instructor, which can be completed during the semester following the course. Tentative Dates: approx. January 5-17, 2010 Program Cost: approx. $1,850 + airfare Application Deadline: Friday, October 16, 2009

More detailed information about this course and the application process is available on the Global Education web page: http://www.hampshire.edu/geo/14683.htm