Course Description
Literary and philosophical texts of various historical periods that trace changes in how human beings understand their non-human environment, with special emphasis on the relevance of these texts to contemporary society around the world, including the United States.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Additional reading, research, and written work.
Athena Title
Literature and Environment
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
The objectives of the course are to teach students about attitudes toward nature and the physical environment in general as expressed in literature, with special emphasis on the relevance of texts under discussion to contemporary society around the world; to introduce students to works of world literature that focus on the natural world; to inform students of varying cultural models of the relationship between humans and the non-human world; to develop students' critical abilities through analysis of literary and non- literary texts; and to hone students' communication skills through oral presentations and expository writing assignments. Students' performances will be assessed through presentations, tests, papers, and a final examination.
Topical Outline
Topics vary with the instructor, but common themes treated in the course include traditional Western conceptions of order (such as the great chain of being); Darwinian conceptions of competition and cooperation; holism and ecosystem concepts; ecocriticism, ecofeminism, ecophilosophy; environmentalism and the literary essay. Special emphasis will be placed on the relevance of the texts studied to contemporary society around the world. The works examined differ with the instructor. The following is a sample syllabus of readings for a single semester: Pope. Essay on Man Lovejoy. The Great Chain of Being Conrad. Heart of Darkness. "Caliban: A Sequel to 'Ariel'" Gilman. "The Yellow Wallpaper" Darwin. The Origin of Species (selections) Odum. "Ecosystem Management: A New Venture" James Lovelock. Gaia: A New Look at Life on Earth (selections) Danial Quinn. Ishmael J. Baird Callicott. "The Metaphysical Implications of Ecology" Warren. "The Power and Promise of Ecological Feminism" Leopold. "The Land Ethic," "Thinking Like a Mountain," "Conservation Esthetic" Borges. "The Babylon Lottery" Celaya. Selected Poetry
Syllabus