ENST215

This course is an interdisciplinary examination of historical and geographical perspectives regarding man's role in changing the face of the Earth. Students are
introduced to global and multi-cultural traditions of resource use - of land, water, air, forests, grasslands, oceans, fuels, and minerals - from “prehistoric” times to the present. Environmental history begins earlier than the rise of ancient civilizations, with the emergence of humans from northeast Africa to spread
around the world during the late Pleistocene epoch. Special attention is given to agriculture, from the domestication of plants and animals to modern industrial
agribusiness. Commonly-held misconceptions regarding how European cultures came to dominate other cultures are examined and challenged, and thought-provoking alternative explanations are considered . The course explores differences (and similarities)between Western academic knowledge and traditional
indigenous knowledge. It examines the emergence of the modern environmental movement, and concludes with an overview of current issues, both global and local.