Instructor: Dr. James Blair
Length of PolyX: 1 Semester
Curricular or Co-curricular: Curricular and Co-Curricular
Is GPA Required: Yes
GPA: Acceptance in Kellogg Honors College
Class Level: Students in any major, Freshmen, Sophomore, Junior, Senior
How can students apply or what pre-requisite(s) is required: ANT 1020 – Introduction to Cultural Anthropology - or equivalent from other universities. Acceptance in Kellogg Honors College.
This Poly X signature experience course, designated as “service-learning,” will explore community-engaged anthropological approaches to environment, technology and culture. We will examine perspectives in environmental and applied anthropology, as well as related social sciences, including human geography, political ecology, and science, technology and society (also known as science and technology studies or STS). From this holistic vantage point, we will learn to view landscapes and natural resources not just as forms of ownership over inherently valuable materials, but as sets of social relations among diverse groups and persons. The course will analyze cultural-ecological practices, evaluate environmental policy and management, and attend to the experiences of residents in proximity to local and global sites of resource production and industrial pollution. Taking an applied approach, this service-learning course is ultimately designed to confront the climate crisis and achieve sustainability goals, by developing advocacy strategies and tactics to support community-based action and environmental justice.