Readings schedule

required text

academic calendar 2003-04

Note: Dates and reading assignments may be subject to change--you'll receive ample notice and justification if changes are made.

Week 1  (9/29-10/3)  Humans and the environment, part I

Readings:

• Paul Harrison. 1992. The third revolution (chapter 2). On electronic reserve (download pp 34-35 here)
• Robert Kates, B.L. Turner II, William Clark. 1990. The great transformation (Pp 1-15). On electronic reserve
• Marvin Harris. 1977. Cannibals and Kings: The origins of cultures (Chapter 7). On electronic reserve

Citations:

• Paul Harrison. 1992. The third revolution. London: Penguin Books (chapter 2, 'The o'ergrowth of some complexion: three billion years of environmental crisis, pp 21-37) (download pp 34-35 here)
• Robert Kates, B.L. Turner II, William Clark. 1990. The great transformation. Pp 1-15 in The earth as transformed by human action (edited by B.L. Turner II, W. Clark, R. Kates, J. Richards, J. Mathews, W. Meyer). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Marvin Harris. 1977. Cannibals and Kings: The origins of cultures. New York: Random House (Chapter 7, 'The origins of pristine states,' pp 101-23)
  

Week 2  (10/6-10/10)  Humans and the environment, part II

Readings:

• Allan Schnaiberg and Kenneth Gould. 1994. Environment and society: The enduring conflict. (chptrs 1-3). On reserve in the library if you don't have the book yet and need to photocopy it.

Discussion: Science and politics

• John Heilprin. 2003. EPA pressed to call air safe after 9/11, report says. Washington Post, Aug. 23. Online at http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn?pagename=article&node=&contentId=A34276-2003Aug22&notFound=true
• Andrew C. Revkin and Katharine Q. Seelye. 2003. Report by the EPA leaves out data on climate change. New York Times, June 19. Link to article.
• William Douglas. 2003. Bush takes credit for salmon returns. Mercury News, Aug 22. Online at http://www.bayarea.com/mld/mercurynews/news/politics/6596477.htm
• Office of Rep. Henry Waxman. 2003. Politics & Science. There are three links of interest here. Read one of the links to environmental issues from each (they're very short):
  • Manipulation of scientific committees
  • Distortion of scientific information
  • Interference with scientific research
• Mark Fiore. 2003. E-Z Kleen. (don't worry--it's a cartoon). Online at http://www.markfiore.com/animation/ez.html

Discussion assignment: Write for turning in at the beginning of class a 150-200 word abstract that includes brief summaries of what you read, and a brief reaction.We'll break into small groups and discuss in class.

Citations:

• Allan Schnaiberg and Kenneth Gould. 1994. Environment and society: The enduring conflict. New York: St. Martin's Press. (chptrs 1-3, pp. 3 - 66)

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Week 3 (10/13-10/17)  Energy and ecology

Readings:

• Michael Little, George Morren. 1976. Ecology, energetics and human variability. (chapter 2) On electronic reserve
• Amory Lovins and Hunter Lovins. 2002. Mobilizing energy solutions. In American Prospect 13(2), Jan 28. Online at http://www.prospect.org/print/V13/2/lovins-a.html
• Eugene Odum. 1993. Ecology and our endangered life support systems (chapter 4). On electronic reserve

Citations

• Michael Little, George Morren. 1976. Ecology, energetics and human variability. Dubuque, IA: Wm. C. Brown (chapter 2, 'fundamentals of ecology, pp 7-17)
• Amory Lovins and Hunter Lovins. 2002. Mobilizing energy solutions. In American Prospect 13(2), Jan 28. Online at http://www.prospect.org/print/V13/2/lovins-a.html
• Eugene Odum. 1993. Ecology and our endangered life support systems. Sunderland, MA: Sinauer Associates (chapter 4, 'Energetics,' pp 67-91).

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Week 4  (10/20-10/24)  Ethics

Readings:

• David Orr. 1992. Ecological literacy (chapter 5). On electronic reserve.
• Wendell Berry. 1995. Another turn of the crank. ('Farming and the global economy').
• Ron Arnold. 1996. Overcoming ideology. In A Wolf in the Garden : The Land Rights Movement and the New Environmental Debate.
• Edward Abbey. 1968. Desert Solitaire. New York: Ballantine (author's introduction, pp 45-67). On electronic reserve.

Discussion: Our National Parks(TM)

• Geoffrey Segal. 2003. Congressional testimony on privatization of National Parks. Reason Public Policy Institute. Online at http://www.rppi.org/nationalparkstest.html
• Read two of the following 3 articles:
  • Michael Milstein. 2003. Neglected parks get glossy PR pitch. Oregonian, Sept 28. Link to article.
  • Matthew Daly. 2003. Lawsuits shape Bush forest policy. Salt Lake Tribune, April 20. Online at http://www.sltrib.com/2003/Apr/04202003/utah/49617.asp.
  • Michael Janofsky. 2003. U.S.-Utah land accord incites unlikely critics. New York Times, May 23. Link to article.
• Mark Fiore. 2003. Privatization. Online at http://www.markfiore.com/animation/parks.html

Citations

• David Orr. 1992. Ecological literacy. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press. (chapter 5, 'Ecological literacy,' pp 85-95). On electronic reserve.
• Wendell Berry. 1995. Another turn of the crank. Boulder, CO: Counterpoint Press. (chapter 1, 'Farming and the global economy'). Online at http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/books/chap1/another.htm.
• Ron Arnold. 1996. Overcoming ideology. In A Wolf in the Garden : The Land Rights Movement and the New Environmental Debate. (Edited by P. Brick R. McGreggor Cawley). Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield. Online at http://www.cdfe.org/wiseuse.htm.
• Edward Abbey. 1968. Desert Solitaire. New York: Ballantine (author's introduction, pp 45-67). On electronic reserve.

   

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Week 5  (10/27-10-31)  Technology

Readings:

• Kenneth Jackson. 1989. The baby boom and the age of the subdivision (Pp 148-61). On electronic reserve
• Wendell Berry. 1987. Why I am not going to buy a computer.
• Ernst Schumacher. 1973. Small is beautiful: Economics as if people mattered. New York: Harper Colophon (pp 161-79). On electronic reserve
• Langdon Winner. 1987. The Whale and the reactor (chapter 4, pp 61-84). Chicago: University of Chicago Press. On electronic reserve

Discussion: What next? Genetically modified trade?

• Sara J. Fitzgerald. 2003. Putting the EU in Its Place: Why Filing a GMO Case with the WTO Is Crucial. Heritage Foundation, Jan 31. Online at http://www.heritage.org/Research/Europe/em855.cfm
• Tom Hayden. 2003. Globalization and GMOs. The Nation, June 23. Online at http://www.thenation.com/docprint.mhtml?i=20030623&s=hayden
• Wikipedia. 2003. The precautionary principle. Online at http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Precautionary_principle
• Mao Wan-Ho. FAQ on genetic engineering. Institute of Science in Society. Online at http://www.i-sis.org.uk/FAQ.php
  

Citations

• Kenneth Jackson. 1989. The baby boom and the age of the subdivision. Pp 148-61 in (R. Stross, editor) Technology and society in twentieth century America. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. On electronic reserve
• Wendell Berry. 1987. Why I am not going to buy a computer. Online at http://www.tipiglen.dircon.co.uk/berrynot.html.
• Ernst Schumacher. 1973. Small is beautiful: Economics as if people mattered. New York: Harper Colophon (pp 161-79, 'Social and economic problems calling for the development of intermediate technology). On electronic reserve reserve
• Langdon Winner. 1987. The Whale and the reactor (chapter 4, 'Building the better mousetrap,' pp 61-84). Chicago: University of Chicago Press. On electronic reserve

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• Garrett Hardin. 1968. The tragedy of the commons. Science 162: 1243-1248.
• Eugene Odum. 1993. Ecology and our endangered life support systems. (chapter 6, pp 150-59). On electronic reserve.
• American Museum of Natural History. 2002. Per capita resource consumption.
• S. Ciriacy-Wantrup and Richard Bishop. 1975. 'Common property' as a concept in natural resources policy. Natural Resources Journal 15: 713-27. On electronic reserve.
• William Catton. 1998. Malthus: Now more relevant than ever. npg.org.
  

Citations

• Garrett Hardin. 1968. The tragedy of the commons. Science 162: 1243-1248. Online at http://dieoff.org/page95.htm
• Eugene Odum. 1993. Ecology and our endangered life support systems. Sunderland, MA: Sinauer Associates (chapter 6, 'Population ecology,' pp 150-59). On electronic reserve.
• American Museum of Natural History. 2002. Per capita resource consumption. Online at http://research.amnh.org/biodiversity/crisis/resconpercap.html
• S. Ciriacy-Wantrup and Richard Bishop. 1975. 'Common property' as a concept in natural resources policy. Natural Resources Journal 15: 713-27. On electronic reserve.
• William Catton. 1998. Malthus: Now more relevant than ever. npg.org, forum series, Online at http://www.npg.org/forum_series/catton_malthus.htm

Week 7  (11/10-11/14)  Economic growth

Readings

• David Korten. 1995. When corporations rule the world. ('The Growth Illusion,' pp 37-50). On electronic reserve
• Ernst Schumacher. 1973. Small is Beautiful: Economics as if People Mattered. ('Buddhist Economics,' pp. 50-58). On electronic reserve
• James O'Connor. 1993. Is sustainable capitalism possible? (Pp 125-37) On electronic reserve
• Schnaiberg and Gould, chapter 4 (pp 68-91).

Discussion: Salmon and electricity

• University of Oregon Electronic Universe Project. The decline of the Northwest Salmon? http://zebu.uoregon.edu/2001/ph162/l13.html (there's quite a bit of information here, but it's not all text--lots of graphics)
• Salmon Friendly Power. Online at http://www.salmonpower.org/about.html
• Columbian and Snake Rivers Campaign. 2003. Columbia and Snake Rivers interactive map. Online at http://www.wildsalmon.org/interactive_map/ (you should at least check out the map and the questions below--if you want you can follow some of the links to articles, but that's optional)
• Rand Corporation. 2002. Northwest Energy Report: Facts and Conclusions. Online at http://www.wildsalmon.org/library_files/RAND_Facts.pdf
• Kenneth Chang. 2003. Technology and brain power used to tame an aging grid. New York Times, Aug 25. Link to article.
• Decommissioning a dam in France

Citations

• David Korten. 1995. When corporations rule the world. West Hartford, CT: Kumarian Press. (Chapter 3, 'The Growth Illusion,' pp 37-50). On electronic reserve
• Ernst Schumacher. 1973. Small is Beautiful: Economics as if People Mattered. New York: Harper Colophon Books. (chapter 4, 'Buddhist Economics,' pp. 50-58). On electronic reserve
• James O'Connor. 1993. Is sustainable capitalism possible? Pp 125-37 in Food for the Future (editor Patricia Allen). New York: John Wiley & Sons. On electronic reserve
• Schnaiberg and Gould, chapter 4 ('treadmill predispositions and social responses: Population, consumption, and technological change,' pp 68-91).

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Week 8 (11/17-11/21) Social movements and activism

Readings

• Robert Jones and Riley Dunlap. 2001. The social bases of environmental concern: Have they changed over time? (Pp 164-79) On electronic reserve
• Robert Brulle. 2001. Environmental discourse and social movement organizations: A historical and rhetorical perspective on the development of U.S. environmental organizations. (Pp 217-37) On electronic reserve
• Robert Bullard. 2001. Anatomy of environmental racism and the environmental justice movement. (Pp 97-105) On electronic reserve
• John Ryan. 2002. Oregon gets taken. American Prospect 13(19), October 21.
  

Discussion:

Citations

• Robert Jones and Riley Dunlap. 2001. The social bases of environmental concern: Have they changed over time? Pp 164-79 in (R. Scott Frey, editor) The Environment and Society Reader. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. On electronic reserve
• Robert Brulle. 2001. Environmental discourse and social movement organizations: A historical and rhetorical perspective on the development of U.S. environmental organizations. Pp 217-37 in (R. Scott Frey, editor) The Environment and Society Reader. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. On electronic reserve
• Robert Bullard. 2001. Anatomy of environmental racism and the environmental justice movement. Pp 97-105 in (R. Scott Frey, editor) The Environment and Society Reader. Boston: Allyn and Bacon. On electronic reserve
• John Ryan. 2002. Oregon gets taken. American Prospect 13(19), October 21. Online at http://www.prospect.org/print/V13/19/ryan-j.html.

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Week 9 (11/24-11/25) Globalization anybody?

(Thanksgiving break W - Fri)

Reading

• Union of concerned scientists. 2003. Global warming: Early warning signs. (spend a good 30 minutes going through this interactive map)
• Jerry Stockdale. 1989. Pro-growth, limits to growth, and a sustainable development synthesis. Society and Natural Resources 2:163-76. On electronic reserve
• J. Timmons Roberts. 2003. Global inequality and climate change. (Pp 254-62) On electronic reserve
• Wendell Berry. 2001. Thoughts in the presence of fear.
  
  

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Citations

• Union of concerned scientists. 2003. Online at http://www.climatehotmap.org/.
• Jerry Stockdale. 1989. Pro-growth, limits to growth, and a sustainable development synthesis. Society and Natural Resources 2:163-76. On electronic reserve
• J. Timmons Roberts. 2003. Global inequality and climate change. Pp 254-62 in Environment, energy, and society: Exemplary works (C. Humphrey, T. Lewis, F. Buttel editors). Belmont, CA: Wadsworth. On electronic reserve
• Wendell Berry. 2001. Thoughts in the presence of fear. Sept. 24, from oriononline.org. http://www.oriononline.org/pages/oo/sidebars/America/Berry.html.

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Week 10 (12/1 - 12/5) What to do

Readings

• Schnaiberg and Gould, chapters 6 and 7 (119-84)
• Envirolink. 2003. Actions you can take. (spend 30 minutes perusing this site)
• Global Stewards. 2003. Current petitions.

Discussion:

Citations

• Schnaiberg and Gould, chapters 6 and 7 (119-84)
• Envirolink. 2003. Actions you can take. Online at http://www.envirolink.org/categories.html?catid=8
• Global Stewards. 2003. Current petitions. Online at http://www.globalstewards.org/petitions.htm

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Final Exam (time to be announced)