ENV 522a () / 2025-2026

Social Science Foundations for Environmental Managers

Credits: 1.5 Fall 2025: Tu, 2:30-3:50, Burke

In this course, we investigate the role of culture, history, ethics, and governance in shaping varying perspectives on the natural world and management strategies for environmental resources. We explore the following questions: What does it mean to be an environmental steward in a world filled with social, political, and economic inequalities?  Can we weave together multiple "ways of knowing" to better manage natural resources? Is it possible to balance the need for social and environmental change in a manner that is both place-based and responsive to global concerns? What would it look like to incorporate non-economic measures of human well-being into our decision making? Can a rights-based approach to natural resource management succeed in the 21st century?