ENV 200
Environment & Society: A Global Perspective
This course was taken during my final semester at UNE and I took it for a general elective. I had taken a similar course that was offered in the Marine Science department, Science in Society, and I wanted to see if the topics would be similar or if there would be new information learned. I was wrong thinking these courses were similar as their content differed greatly which was a good thing. This course and the textbook in particular offered a look into the background behind various environmental problems and then had you examine them with a sociological lens. Textbook sections on Carbon, Trees, and Lawns were some of my favorites from the course. Beyond just the textbook topics this course offered a chance to participate in a going case study around the New England Clean Energy Project, a very controversial topic of conversation currently. We were assigned teams and worked to create a concept map, stakeholder analysis, an oral presentation of our findings, and a policy memo written based on our findings.
“This course employs a global geographic, social sciences perspective to examine the interactions between society, population and the environment. The course begins with an introduction to population-environment theories, social science frameworks that link to the environment and demography. We then employ this foundation to examine diverse environmental issues, including rapid urbanization and human health effects, biodiversity loss and deforestation, global climate change, material living conditions, and resources scarcity and conflict. We consider how these issues vary around the world and the applicability of cultural, policy, organizations and technical management approaches to promoting environmental sustainability and human well-being.”
UNE Course Catalog Description
