Course Description
The major human issues related to contemporary conservation initiatives. As these initiatives expand and proliferate, their impact is felt more widely and acutely by local communities, and anthropologists have more opportunities to engage in the process. Examination of various conservation approaches, their impacts on communities, and the ways in which anthropologists have and can contribute to the process.
Additional Requirements for Graduate Students:
Graduate students in the course will be required to read a
conservation-focused monograph, such as Paige West's
Conservation is our Government Now and to meet with the
instructor outside of class to discuss the book. Graduate
students will collaborate to produce and deliver a lecture on
the book for their undergraduate classmates. Each graduate
student will also produce a 25-page term paper (rather than the
12-15 page required for undergraduates) and will give a 30-
minute lecture on their topic (rather than a 10-minute
conference-style presentation for undergraduates).
Athena Title
Conservation Changing Planet
Prerequisite
Junior or senior standing or permission of department
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
1) Communicating effectively through speech and through writing and computer literacy objectives: - This course is based on discussion of assigned readings, and students will be trained to read critically, assimilate and analyze information to participate in classroom discussions. - Being that conservation is an interdisciplinary pursuit, students will read work that crosses disciplines and will learn to synthesize that information. - Students will have the guidance of the instructor in presenting information in written form, both through creating weekly critical reviews of reading material and through the development of a term paper. - As part of this course, students will be encouraged to submit their term papers for presentation at a professional conference. - Students will improve computing skills by using PowerPoint to present term papers, by using word processing software for completion of term papers, and by creating a website for their term paper projects. 2) Critical thinking and moral reasoning objectives: - In the context of classroom discussions, students will be expected to engage in opposing points of view, supporting a consistent position using supporting evidence. - Students will examine the often conflicting arguments about conservation and biodiversity that exist in the literature. - As conservation initiatives are often conceived by developed nations and applied in developing nations, there are many ethical tradeoffs to consider. Students will learn to evaluate ethical behavior in these situations. - Students will learn to apply anthropological theory to understand the diversity of human social behavior, thus helping to eradicate societal stereotypes and prejudices.
Topical Outline
1) Conservation and the Cultural Politics of Nature - How is nature defined? (focus on the different ways that different people and cultures have of seeing nature) - Who defines nature? (students will engage in discussions of conservation ethics and the evaluation of the global interest in biodiversity versus local livelihoods, developing critical thinking and moral reasoning skills) - Configurations of power, governance and governmentality (students will analyze different systems of government and governance and their effects on conservation projects and local communities) Assignment: Term paper ideas, preliminary research, appropriate bibliography 2) Approaches to Conservation - Community-based approaches - Ecoregional approaches - Integrated Conservation and Development - Protectionism vs. Participation (analyzing complex arguments from both social and biological sciences about the merits of different approaches) Assignment: Annotated bibliography and paper outline 3) Role of the Anthropologist - Interaction with practitioners and donors - Moving our participation upstream, defining questions and priorities (critical thinking about the role that social science can play in shaping conservation that is more effective, just, and equitable) 4) Institutions - The State - Donors, banks, corporations, NGOs (critical thinking about linkages that are not always apparent to observers) - Local movements, indigenous movements (helping dispel prejudices and stereotypes by discussing different social groups and their ways of empowering themselves and others) - Communities and Locality Assignment: Paper due 5) Technology and Power - Making protected areas: biology and policy - Participatory and counter approaches 6) Detailed Case Studies 7) Term paper presentations (develop oral presentation skills, use of PowerPoint and/or web page designed for the term paper project, no more than 15 minutes for presentation and questions, mirroring professional conferences in anthropology)
Syllabus