EST 393 Environmental Discourse and Communication

About the Course

The course considers the relationship between discourse and nature. Through a variety of readings, lectures, discussions, interactive exercises, written work, and presentations, the course explores the scope and character of a wide range of public discourses around environmental affairs. Combining theoretical material with examples, it addresses the following topics: the cultural and social contexts of environmental discourse; the social construction of nature and environmental issues; theories of communication; approaches to the analysis of a variety of forms of environmental discourse; and the representation of nature and environmental issues in a variety of fora covering a range of environmental viewpoints. Emphasis is on the analysis and understanding of the rhetoric of environmental texts.

Who Should Take the Course?

This course requires at least junior standing and has EST 245 or my permission as a prerequisite. The course is required for Environmental Studies students in the Environmental Communication and Culture option. However, it will also be of interest to those concerned with environmental policy, environmental activism and politics, biological conservation, sustainability issues, and environmental education.

Details

• 3 credits
• Spring semester
• Mondays 12:45-3:45pm
• 111 Marshall Hall
• Check the Registrar's timetable to be sure
• Enrollment is approximately 20 students

Syllabus

For more details, download the latest syllabus in PDF format. Future iterations of the course will likely differ somewhat from what's in this syllabus. Therefore, it is important for prospective students to consult with me before buying books based on a previous syllabus.

"If one takes nature as a 'text' to be understood, the instrumental and ecological approaches to nature are importantly divergent readings of that text."
- Andrew McLaughlin