Culture, Religion and Environmentalism

Culture, Religion and Environmentalism is a Social Science course taught by Sue Darlington.

This course satisfies Division I requirements.

Course Description
This course explores how cultures and religions influence theoretical and social concepts of nature and the environment. Efforts to preserve, protect and/or define natural spaces in Asia, Latin American and the United States shed insight into the development of the concept of environmentalism. Often equated in the global north with nature conservation and sustainable development, environmentalism takes a variety of forms in different social and cultural settings. Through examining religious and cultural concepts of the natural and social environment cross-culturally, different modes of thinking and acting are illustrated through specific cases.

Learning Goals

 * Reading
 * Writing
 * Project-based
 * Multi-Cultural

SS 151 Culture, Religion and Environmentalism
Prof. Sue Darlington                                                T.A.: Drew Goldsman

Professor of Anthropology &amp; Asian Studies School of Social Science FPH G9; x5600 sdarlington@hampshire.edu

This course explores how cultures and religions influence theoretical and social concepts of nature and the environment. Efforts to preserve, protect and/or define natural spaces in Asia, Latin American and the United States shed insight into the development of the concept of environmentalism. Often equated in the global north with nature conservation and sustainable development, environmentalism takes a variety of forms in different social and cultural settings. Through examining religious and cultural concepts of the natural and social environment cross-culturally, different modes of thinking and acting are illustrated through specific cases. (REA,WRI, PRJ, MCP)

Goals of the course:
• Develop critical thinking, reading and writing skills through close examination of differing interpretations of cultures’ and religions’ roles in causing and dealing with environmental problems and diverse concepts and goals of environmentalist movements cross-culturally. • Develop analytical skills as students learn to approach complex environmental issues from interdisciplinary and multiple theoretical angles. • Increase students’ awareness of the influence of culture and religion, in particular, and history, politics and economics, more generally, on approaches to ecological problems. • Go beyond tendencies to idealize stereotyped cultural and religious approaches to ecological issues to understand the full cultural, socio-political and historical contexts within which these approaches are developed and implemented. • Strengthen research, reading, writing and presentation skills through a series of written and oral assignments designed to challenge students to develop their own critical approaches and analyses. • Conceive and complete project-based work in the form of individual research projects.

Assignments:
Assignments include reading, writing, class presentations and project-based work. I expect readings to be done thoughtfully and critically before the class date for which each assignment is listed as discussion is largely based on the readings. Students will be expected to participate in and occasionally run discussions.

All articles are available online through the course web site (under Readings and in the daily Syllabus) and on Reserve in the Hampshire College Library. You should make copies of the readings and bring them with you to class the day we are discussing them. The two required books are available through the Hampshire College Bookstore, and are also on Reserve. (Note, we will not be reading all of either book.)

Berkes, Fikret. 1999. Sacred Ecology: Tradtional Ecological Knowledge and Resource Management. Philadelphia, PA: Taylor &amp; Francis. Strang, Veronica. 1997. Uncommon Ground: Cultural Landscapes and Environmental Values. Oxford/New York: Berg.

Written Assignments: All written assignments are due at the beginning of the class for which they are listed below. I do not accept late papers without prior permission. Papers must be typed, double-spaced and proofread, with page numbers. Please plan ahead for printing your papers so that you don’t have last minute computer problems. You should always spell-check and proofread your assignments before turning them in.


 * Plagiarism: Plagiarism is the presentation of another person’s ideas or words as if they were your own, without acknowledging the source. Plagiarism is a serious offence, and can result in either No Evaluation for the course or even disciplinary withdrawal from the College. As you write your papers, you must be sure to cite your sources thoroughly and correctly, whether you are quoting directly or paraphrasing. Ignorance of plagiarism is not an excuse. If you are ever uncertain as to whether doing something is technically plagiarism, you should ask. You should also consult with writing reference manuals for correct citation and bibliographic formats, including for citing Internet sources.

Evaluations: To receive an evaluation for the course, you must complete all assignments on time and make satisfactory progress on the course learning goals. I expect a lot of writing and class participation. If you miss more than two class meetings without a good reason, you may not get a good evaluation. (If you miss a significant number of class meetings, you may not get an evaluation.) Remember: Communication with me about your status in the class can help you meet the course goals and do well in this course. I do not give Incompletes unless negotiated before assignment due dates, including the final paper and portfolio.

Concepts &amp; Questions
Weds., Sept. 5: Introduction

Mon., Sept 10: Lynn White Thesis. • White, Lynn Jr. 1967. "The Historical Roots of Our Ecologic Crisis." Science. Vol. 155, No. 3767: 1203-1207.

Weds., Sept. 12: Alternatives to White: Debating the Causes of the Crisis • Moncrief, Lewis. 1970. "The Cultural Basis for Our Environmental Crisis." Science. Vol. 170, No. 3957: 508-512. • Toynbee, Arnold. 1974 [orig. 1972]. “The Religious Background of the Present Environmental Crisis.” In David &amp; Eileen Spring, eds. Ecology and Religion in History. NY: Harper Torchbooks. Pp. 137-149.

 Friday, Sept. 14: Essay on White, Moncrief and Toynbee due in my box in Social Science Office in FPH by noon.

Mon., Sept. 17: Thinking About Nature • Cronon, William. 1995. “The Trouble with Wilderness; or, Getting Back to the Wrong Nature.” In William Cronon, ed. Uncommon Ground: Rethinking the Human Place in Nature. New York: W.W. Norton &amp; Company. Pp. 69-90. • Forbes, Jack D. 2001. “Nature and Culture: Problematic Concepts for Native Americans.” In John A. Grim, ed. Indigenous Traditions and Ecology. Cambridge, MA: Center for the Study of World Religions, Harvard Divinity School. Pp. 103-124.

Weds., Sept. 19: Contexts of Deep Ecology. • Guha, Ramachandra. 1989. “Radical American Environmentalism and Wilderness Preservation: A Third World Critique.” Environmental Ethics 11(1): 71-83. • Johns, David. 1990. “Relevance of Deep Ecology to the Third World.” Environmental Ethics 12(3):233-252.

Mon., Sept. 24: Research Project Discussion. • Discussion will be based on research done by students on a case study of culture and/or religion and the environment.  Assignment due in class. Each student will submit a written outline on the case study chosen.

Indigenous Knowledge of the Environment?
Weds., Sept. 26: Traditional Ecological Knowledge • LaDuke, Winona. 2003. “Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Environmental Futures.” In Roger S. Gottlieb, ed. Liberation Faith: Religious Voices for Justice, Peace, and Ecological Wisdom. Lanham: Rowman &amp; Littlefield. Pp. 512-518. • Berkes, Sacred Ecology, Chs. 1-2, pp. 3-35.

Mon., Oct. 1: Cree Concepts of Nature • Berkes, Sacred Ecology, Chs. 5, 6 &amp; 7, pp. 79-126.

Weds., Oct. 3: Whose knowledge? • Brosius, J. Peter. 1997. “Endangered Forest, Endangered People: Environmentalist Representations of Indigenous Knowledge.” Human Ecology 25(1):47-69. • Hult, Flora Lu. 2005. “The Catch-22 of Conservation: Indigenous Peoples, Biologists, and Cultural Change.” Human Ecology 33(2):199-216.

Sat., Oct. 6 - Tues., Oct. 9: October Break

Environmental Values
Weds., Oct. 10: Affective Values and Practice • Watch one of the talks on the website for the conference on Ethics, Values and Environment, held at the Center for the Study of World Religions, Harvard Divinity School, March 18, 2006. Come to class prepared to discuss the talk you watched – key ideas, points, criticisms, etc. Link is provided through the course website. URL: http://www.hds.harvard.edu/cswr/resources/eve/index.html • Tucker, Mary Evelyn &amp; John Grim. 2007. “Daring to Dream: Religion and the Future of the Earth.” Reflections, Yale Divinity School, Spring 2007, Pp. 4-9.

 Friday, Oct. 12: Research Proposal and Annotated Preliminary Bibliography due in my box in Social Science Office in FPH by noon.

Mon., Oct. 15: Cultural Landscapes and Environmental Values – Australian case study • Strang, Veronica. 1997. Uncommon Ground: Cultural Landscapes and Environmental Values. Introduction, &amp; Chs. 1 &amp; 3, pp. 1-35 &amp; 59-79.

Weds., Oct. 17: Australia, con’t. • Strang, Veronica. 1997. Uncommon Ground: Cultural Landscapes and Environmental Values. Chs. 4 &amp; 5, pp. 83-132.

Mon., Oct. 22: Australia, con’t • Strang, Veronica. 1997. Uncommon Ground: Cultural Landscapes and Environmental Values. Chs. 8-10 &amp; Conclusion, pp. 199-291.

Weds., Oct. 24: Christianity • Kinsley, David. 1995. “Christianity as Ecologically Harmful” and “Christianity as Ecologically Responsible.” Ecology and Religion: Ecological Spirituality in Cross-Cultural Perspective. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall. Pp. 103-124. • Con’t… • Kearns, Laurel. 1996. “Saving the Creation: Christian Environmentalism in the United States.” Sociology of Religion 57(1):55-70. • McFague, Sallie. 2001. “New House Rules: Christianity, Economics, and Planetary Living.” Daedalus 130(4):125-140.

 Friday, Oct. 26: Research paper background essay due in Sue’s box in SS Office by noon.

Mon., Oct 29: Buddhism • Harris, Ian. 1991. “How Environmentalist is Buddhism?” Religion 21:101-114. • Swearer, Donald K. 2001. “Principles and Poetry, Places and Stories: The Resources of Buddhist Ecology.” Daedalus 130(4):225-242. • Sponsel, Leslie E. &amp; Poranee Natadecha-Sponsel. 2003. “Buddhist Views of Nature and the Environment.” In Helaine Selin, ed. Nature Across Cultures. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers. Pp. 351-371. • Recommended: o Harris, Ian. 1997. “Buddhism and the Discourse of Environmental Concern: Some Methodological Problems Considered.” In Mary Evelyn Tucker &amp; Duncan Ryūken Williams, eds. Buddhism and Ecology. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University, Center for the Study of World Religions. Pp. 377-402.

Weds., Oct. 31: Buddhist Environmentalist Movement in Thailand • Darlington, Susan M. 2007, forthcoming. “The Good Buddha and the Fierce Spirits Protecting the Northern Thai Forest.” Contemporary Buddhism 8(2). • Darlington, Susan M. 1998. “The Ordination of a Tree: The Buddhist Ecology Movement in Thailand.” Ethnology 37(1):1-15. • Darlington, Susan M. 2003. “The Spirit(s) of Conservation in Buddhist Thailand.” In Helaine Selin, ed. Nature Across Cultures. Dordrecht, The Netherlands: Kluwer Academic Publishers. Pp. 129-145. • Taylor, Jim. 1996. “’Thamma-chaat’: Activist Monks and Competing Discourses of Nature and Nation in Northeastern Thailand.” In Philip Hirsch, ed. Seeing Forests for Trees. Chiang Mai: Silkworm Books. Pp. 37-52.

Mon., Nov. 5: The Religious Environmentalist Paradigm • Pedersen, Poul. 1995. “Nature, Religion and Cultural Identity: The Religious Environmentalist Paradigm.” In Ole Bruun &amp; Arne Kalland, eds. Asian Perceptions of Nature. Surrey, UK: Curzon Press Ltd. Pp. 258-276.

Weds., Nov. 7: Advising Day, No Class.

 Weds, Nov. 7: 2nd Research Essay due in Sue’s box in SS Office by 4 p.m.

Mon., Nov. 12: Religious Case Studies Presentations

Weds., Nov. 14: Religious Case Studies Presentations

Environmental Campaigns:
Mon., Nov. 19: Hawai’ian Sovereignty. Drew Goldsman’s Div III presentation.

 Tuesday, Nov. 20: Draft of Research Paper due in Sue’s box in SS Office by 4 p.m.

Weds., Nov. 21-Sun, Nov. 25: Thanksgiving Break.

Mon., Nov. 26: History of an Environmental Campaign – the Penan. • Brosius, J. Peter. 2001. “Local Knowledges, Global Claims: On the Significance of Indigenous Ecologies in Sarawak, East Malaysia.” In John A. Grim, ed. Indigenous Traditions and Ecology. Cambridge, MA: Center for the Study of World Religions, Harvard Divinity School. Pp. 125-157. • Brosius, J. Peter. 2003. “Voices for the Borneo Rain Forest.” In Paul Greenough &amp; Anna Lowenhaupt Tsing, eds. Nature in the Global South: Environmental Projects in South and Southeast Asia. Durham &amp; London: Duke University Press. Pp. 319-346. • Recommended: o Brosius, J. Peter. 1997. “Prior Transcripts, Divergent Paths: Resistance and Acquiescence to Logging in Sarawak, East Malaysia.” Comparative Studies in Society and History 39(3): 468-510.  Video: “Blowpipes and Bulldozers.”

Weds., Nov. 28: James Bay Cree &amp; Hydro-Quebec • Feit, Harvey A. 2001. “Hunting, Nature, and Metaphor: Political and Discursive Strategies in James Bay Cree Resistance and Autonomy.” In John A. Grim, ed. Indigenous Traditions and Ecology. Cambridge, MA: Center for the Study of World Religions, Harvard Divinity School. Pp. 411-451.

Mon., Dec. 3: What’s next? • McKibben, Bill. 2001. “Where Do We Go from Here?” Daedalus 130(4): 301-306.

Weds., Dec 5: Conclusions