Global Environmental History

History 563, Ref. # 12910, Spring 2000

Prof. Marion (Buddy) Gray EH 202

REQUIRED BOOKS

Beinart, William and Coates, Peter. Environment and History: The Taming of Nature in the USA and South Africa. Routledge, 1995.

Conca, Ken; Alberty Michael; Dabelko, Geoffrey D., Green Planet Blues: Environmental Politics from Stockholm to Rio. Westview Press, 1995.

Diamond, Jared. Guns, Germs and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies. Norton, 1997

Melville, Elinor G. K. A Plague of Sheep: Environmental Consequences of the Conquest of Mexico. Cambridge University Press, 1994/1997.

Merchant, Carolyn. The Death of Nature: Women, Ecology and the Scientific Revolution. Harper, 1980/1990.

Ponting, Clive. A Green History of the World: The Environment and the Collapse of Great Civilizations. Penguin, 1991.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
1. Reading and preparation to discuss assigned material before each class. Attendance and participation will be an informal factor in grading, unless you are absent for than five classes. This will lower your grade by one-half of a letter; eight absences will lower your grade by one letter. This is designed as a means of relating the grade to the learning experience, as a punitive measure. In-class participation is a essential part of the course, and regular attendance and participation will clearly enhance the quality of your learning experience. Since the class depends on successful discussions, you have a responsibility to others, as well as to yourself, to prepare and participate.

2. Three exams written out of class and based on previously assigned material. The Three exams together will constitute 50% of the final grade.

3. One research project in Environmental History. 50% of the grade.

CALENDAR OF ASSIGNMENTS

I. The Study of Environmental History; Pre-Columbian Environments

JANUARY

U. 13: Introduction: Conceptualizing Environmental History

T. 18: Diamond, Prolog ("Yali's Question") and Chapter 1, "Up to the Starting Line."

U. 20: Ponting, Ch. 1, 2, 3: Natural Environments and Human Change

T. 25: Ponting, Ch. 4. "The First Great Transition."

U. 27: Diamond, Ch. 6, 7, 8 "The Rise and Spread of Food Production."

FEBRUARY

T. 1: Ponting, Ch. 5, "The Artificial Environment"

U. 3: No Class: Time to develop your research topic. Reports due on Feb. 8.

T. 8: Progress Reports on Paper Topics. Three-Page double spaced, including your definition of environmental history; your research question; at least one secondary source, and a statement of where you go from here. (15% of project grade.) Also: Diamond, Ch. 11, "The Lethal Gift"

U. 10: Diamond, Ch. 13, 14: Technology, Government, and Religion.

T. 15: Ponting, Ch. 6 "The Long Struggle."

U 17: No class; work on out-of-class exam, due 9:00 Friday, Feb. 17.

II. The Scientific Revolution and the Columbian Exchange

T. 22: Merchant, Introduction and Ch. 1: The European concept of "Nature."

U. 24: Merchant, Ch. 2. Europe's Ecology.

T. 29: Merchant, Ch. 3. Organic and Mechanical Ideals.

MARCH

U. 2: Merchant, Ch. 5, 6. Nature and Femaleness.

T. 7: Merchant, Ch. 7. The Scientific Revolution and Dominion over Nature.

U. 9: Ponting, Ch. 7 and 8. Europe’s "Expansion"

T. 14: Ponting, Ch. 11 and 12. Numbers and Death.

U. 16: No class; work on out-of-class exam, due 9:00 Friday, Mar. 17.

[SPRING BREAK]

III. Colonial Exchange: Case Studies

T. 28: Melville, Ch. 1, 2. "Alien Landscapes."

U. 30: Progress Report on Research Project. Three to five pages. Describe both primary and secondary sources; state the thesis and tell how the evidence will substantiate it. (15% of project grade) Also: Melville, Ch. 3 and 4. Comparative Colonialisms

APRIL

T. 4: Melville, Ch. 5 and 6. Conquest and the Environment

U. 6: Beinart and Coates, Ch. 1, 2, 3. Frontiers, Hunting, Forests.

T. 11: Beinart and Coates, Ch. 4, 5, 6. Agriculture, Preservation, Environmentalism.

U. 13: Ponting, Ch. 13, 14. Fossil Fuels and Cities.

T. 18: Ponting, Ch. 15, 16. Wealth, Poverty, and Pollution.

U. 20: No class; work on out-of-class exam, due 9:00 Friday, Apr. 21.

T. 25: Green Planet Blues. Ch. 1, 2, 7, 8, 9. The Stockholm Conference; International Environmentalism.

U. 27: Green Planet Blues. Ch. 13, 14, 15, 16, 17. International Cooperation?

MAY

T. 2: Green Planet Blues. Ch. 18, 19, 30, 34, 36. Ecological Justice?

U. 4: Ten-minute Report on Research Project, stating final argument and evidence used for substantiation. Must employ visual presentation. (15% of Project Report.)
 
 

FRIDAY, MAY 12, 9:40-11:30 A.M. RESEARCH PAPERS DUE

ACADEMIC HONESTY

Kansas State University has a new Honor Code. For information see http://www.ksu.edu/honor/. For all papers, quizzes and other work, the Honor Pledge is implied, whether or not it is stated: "On my honor, as a student, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this academic work."

GRADUATE CREDIT

It is possible for students in fields other than History to enroll for graduate credit. In such cases, assignments will differ accordingly. Please consult with the instructor.

SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS

I will be happy to make any accommodations necessary for any student requiring such under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Please contact me promptly if this is the case.

CLASS ELECTRONIC DISCUSSION LIST

All class members should subscribe to the electronic discussion list GLOBAL-E. To do so, send an e-mail message to listserv@ksu.edu. Leave the "subject" line blank. In the message field put only the following message: sub Global-E firstname lastname. For example, if your name is Anne Conway, your message would be: sub Global-E Anne Conway. Do not write anything else in the message field. Send this message. You will receive a reply asking you to confirm your subscription. Follow the instructions for confirming. This list will allow you to communicate with other members of the class, to received announcements, and to raise questions about class material or assignments. One suggested use of the discussion list is to give attention to current events relevant to the environmental issues we will be discussing in historical contexts. Although we will usually not have time to discuss these in class, the electronic list will offer us an opportunity to explore connections between the past and present.

You may at any time communicate directly with me by e-mail, as opposed to using the electronic discussion list: mgray@ksu.edu. Also visit the course web site where you can obtain the syllabus and other materials. http://www-personal.ksu.edu./~mgray/hist563syl.htm/