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Catalogue 2017-2018 [ARCHIVED CATALOG]
Course Descriptions
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Earth Science: II. Intermediate |
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ESCI 290 - Field Work Semester Offered: Fall or Spring
0.5 to 1 unit(s)
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ESCI 297 - Readings in Earth Science
0.5 unit(s)
Contemplating Time. Deep time, the concept of geologic time recognized by Persian polymath Avicenna (Ibn Sina) and Chinese naturalist Shen Kuo in the 11th century and developed further by James Hutton during the 18th century Scottish Enlightenment, has been called the single greatest contribution of geology to science. The concept provides a critical link between earth science and environmental change. Using reading and reflection, the aim of this course is to help students develop a feeling for the enormity of Earth’s duration in relation to human life spans. Students contemplate the nature of time from geoscientific, religious, and literary perspectives. Reading works by Loren C. Eiseley, Mircea Eliade, Malcolm Gladwell, Stephen Jay Gould, Abraham Joshua Heschel, Shunryu Suzuki, and Elie Wiesel, among others, we consider subjects such as the two great metaphors of time, arrows and cycles, in relation to natural and anthropogenic environmental change. The class meets weekly for contemplative practice and is suitable for students at any level. Jill Schneiderman.
Prerequisite(s): permission of the instructor.
Not offered in 2017/18.
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ESCI 298 - Independent Work Semester Offered: Fall or Spring
0.5 to 1 unit(s)
Execution and analysis of a field, laboratory or library study. The project, to be arranged with an individual instructor, is expected to have a substantial paper as its final product. The department.
Prerequisite(s): permission of the instructor.
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Earth Science: III. Advanced |
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ESCI 300 - Senior Research and Thesis Semester Offered: Fall
0.5 unit(s)
Critical analysis, usually through observation or experimentation, of a specific research problem in earth science. A student electing this course must first gain, by submission of a written research proposal, the support of a member of the earth science faculty with whom to work out details of a research protocol. The formal research proposal and a final paper and presentation of results are required parts of the course. A second faculty member participates in the final evaluation. The department.
Prerequisite(s): permission of the instructor.
Yearlong course 300-ESCI 301 .
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ESCI 301 - Senior Research and Thesis Semester Offered: Spring
0.5 unit(s)
Critical analysis, usually through observation or experimentation, of a specific research problem in earth science. A student electing this course must first gain, by submission of a written research proposal, the support of a member of the earth science faculty with whom to work out details of a research protocol. The formal research proposal and a final paper and presentation of results are required parts of the course. A second faculty member participates in the final evaluation. The department.
Prerequisite(s): permission of the instructor.
Yearlong course ESCI 300 -301.
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ESCI 321 - Advanced Topics in Environmental Geology Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
(Same as ENST 321 ) This course investigates fundamental geologic controls on environmental issues such as resource distribution and use, ground and surface water pollution, and atmospheric pollution. A specific topic is selected each year, and work in the class includes a survey of relevant literature, field visits to local sites, and development of a group project.
Prerequisite(s): ESCI 151 or ENST 124 .
One 4-hour period.
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ESCI 323 - History of Geological Thought: 1690-1980
1 unit(s)
(Same as STS 323 ) In this course we examine the historical context and scientific ideas put forth by natural philosophers and scientists including Thomas Burnet, Nicolas Steno, James Hutton, Charles Lyell, Charles Darwin, Alfred Wegener, Marie Tharp, Bruce Heezen, Stephen Jay Gould, Niles Eldredge, James Lovelock and Walter Alvarez. Topics of study include geologic time, continental drift and plate tectonics, evolution and punctuated equilibrium, Gaia, and bolide impacts. Jill Schneiderman.
Prerequisite(s): Must be a science or Science, Technology, and Society major at the junior or senior level, or by permission of the instructor.
Not offered in 2017/18.
Two 75-minute periods.
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ESCI 335 - Paleoclimatology: Earth’s History of Climate Change Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
(Same as ENST 335 ) In recent decades, record high temperatures and extreme weather events have led scientists and policy makers to grapple with the fact that human activities are affecting the climate system. At the same time, scientists have come to realize that climate is capable of dramatic shifts in the absence of human intervention. The science of paleoclimatology seeks to understand the extent and causes of natural climatic variability in order to establish the baseline on top of which anthropogenic changes are occurring. In this course we examine the structure and properties of the oceans and atmosphere and how the general circulation of these systems redistributes heat throughout the globe; study how cycles in Earth’s orbital parameters, plate tectonics, changes in ocean circulation, and the evolution of plants have affected climate; and explore the different lines of evidence used to reconstruct climate history. Weekly laboratory projects introduce students to paleoclimatic methods and to records of climatic change from the Paleozoic through the Little Ice Age. Kirsten Menking.
Prerequisite(s): 200-level work in Earth Science or permission of the instructor.
One 4-hour classroom/laboratory/field period.
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ESCI 351 - Volcanology
1 unit(s)
Volcanoes are an important window into the workings of the earth’s interior. They are also spectacular landscape features: serene in repose, and often violent in eruption. This course addresses the physical aspects of volcanoes, including such topics as the generation of magmas, styles of eruptions, products of eruptions, tectonic controls on the formation of volcanoes, and methods for predicting eruptions and mitigating the hazards associated with volcanic activity. An optional field trip to an active volcano is possible. Jeffrey Walker.
Prerequisite(s): ESCI 201 .
Not offered in 2017/18.
One 4-hour period.
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ESCI 361 - Modeling the Earth
1 unit(s)
(Same as ENST 361 ) Computer models are powerful tools in the Earth and Environmental Sciences for generating and testing hypotheses about how the Earth system functions and for allowing simulation of processes in places inaccessible to humans (e.g., Earth’s deep interior), too slow to permit observation (e.g., erosion driven uplift of mountains ranges), or too large to facilitate construction of physical models (e.g., Earth’s climate system). Taking readings from the scientific literature, we create and then perform experiments with simple computer models, using the STELLA iconographic box-modeling software package. Topics include the global phosphorus cycle, Earth’s radiative balance with the sun and resulting temperature, the flow of ice in glaciers, and the role of life in moderating Earth’s climate. Toward the end of the semester, students apply the skills they have acquired to a modeling project of their own devising. Kirsten Menking.
Prerequisite(s): one 200-level course in the natural sciences.
Satisfies the college requirement for quantitative reasoning.
Not offered in 2017/18.
One 4-hour classroom/laboratory period.
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ESCI 379 - Conservation Paleobiology
1 unit(s)
Humans currently and pervasively impact many (if not all) of Earth’s ecosystems. Two major challenges in modern conservation efforts are our lack of a well-defined baseline for pre-disturbance ecological conditions and an incomplete understanding of the natural range of variability for different systems. This discussion based course explores how paleontological data in both terrestrial and marine environments (e.g., varved lake deposits, rodent middens, marine fossil deposits, and archaeological material) can be used to help set restoration targets and inform conservation practices by filling in these knowledge gaps. We also gain experience interpreting geohistorical data, and discuss several specific case studies where the geologic record has been utilized to inform conservation planning. By the end of the course, students are aware of the range of different types of information that can be gathered from the geohistorical record (such as burn regimes and climate records, as well as inferences about paleo-diets and changing environmental conditions), the unique contributions of this record to increasing understanding of current conservation issues, and the impacts that humans have on ecosystems. Students additionally complete a semester term paper on how geohistorical records could be applied to mitigate a conservation problem, and present their findings and suggestions to the class.
Not offered in 2017/18.
One 3-hour period.
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ESCI 383 - Extinction Events in Earth’s History
1 unit(s)
This seminar course uses selected readings from the scientific literature to cover the major extinction events in Earth’s history. The introduction to the course focuses on a brief overview of geologic time, fossilization, key fossil groups, and diversity estimates. Special emphasis is placed on the modern extinction event in the last quarter of the semester. Each week students are required to read 1-2 papers, answer provided questions, and participate in group discussions. A required final project is a short oral presentation on an organism currently facing extinction.
Not offered in 2017/18.
One 3-hour period.
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ESCI 385 - Stable Isotopes in the Earth and Environmental Sciences
1 unit(s)
Stable isotopes are fundamental tools used in the Earth and Environmental Sciences to investigate past climates, track animal migration routes, unravel food webs, and study the origins of life on Earth, among other applications. This course highlights the uses of stable isotopes in ecological, climatic, environmental, and geological studies and also discusses the limitations and scientific abuses of these tools. Students learn the fundamentals of stable isotope biogeochemistry, including the differences between stable and radiogenic isotopes and the processes that fractionate (separate) common stable isotopes among different biogeochemical reservoirs. Readings derive from the primary literature and are adjusted to cover topics of interest to students. Potential topics include, but are not limited to, biogeochemical cycling, uplift of mountain ranges, paleodiets of fossil organisms, and climate change.
Prerequisite(s): One 100-level earth science or chemistry course.
Not offered in 2017/18.
One 4-hour period.
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ESCI 399 - Senior Independent Work Semester Offered: Fall or Spring
0.5 to 1 unit(s)
Execution and analysis of a field, laboratory, or library study. The project, to be arranged with an individual instructor, is expected to have a substantial paper as its final product. The department.
Prerequisite(s): permission of the instructor.
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Earth Science and Society: I. Introductory |
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ESSC 100 - Earth Resource Challenges
1 unit(s)
(Same as ESCI 100 , ENST 100 , and GEOG 100 ) This course combines the insights of the natural and social sciences to address a topic of societal concern. Geographers bring spatial analysis of human environmental change, while Earth scientists contribute their knowledge of the diverse natural processes shaping the Earth’s surface. Together, these distinctive yet complementary fields contribute to comprehensive understandings of the physical limitations and potentials, uses and misuses of the Earth’s natural resources. Each year the topic of the course changes to focus on selected resource problems facing societies and environments around the world. When this course is team-taught by faculty from Earth Science and Geography, it serves as an introduction to both disciplines.
Prerequisite(s): Open only to freshmen; satisfies college requirement for a Freshman Writing Seminar.
Not offered in 2017/18.
Two 75-minute periods.
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Earth Science and Society: II. Intermediate |
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ESSC 290 - Field Work
0.5 to 1 unit(s)
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ESSC 298 - Independent Work
0.5 to 1 unit(s)
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Earth Science and Society: III. Advanced |
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ESSC 300 - Senior Thesis Semester Offered: Fall
0.5 unit(s)
An original study, integrating perspectives of geography and earth science. The formal research proposal is first developed in GEOG 304 , the senior seminar, and then is presented to a faculty member in either geography or earth science, who serves as the principal adviser. A second faculty member from the other respective discipline participates in the final evaluation.
Yearlong course 300-ESSC 301 .
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ESSC 301 - Senior Thesis Semester Offered: Spring
0.5 unit(s)
An original study, integrating perspectives of geography and earth science. The formal research proposal is first developed in GEOG 304 , the senior seminar, and then is presented to a faculty member in either geography or earth science, who serves as the principal adviser. A second faculty member from the other respective discipline participates in the final evaluation.
Yearlong course ESSC 300 -301.
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ESSC 331 - Gender, Resources and Justice
1 unit(s)
(Same as WMST 331 ) This multidisciplinary course acquaints students with the debates and theoretical approaches involved in understanding resource issues from a gender and justice perspective. It is intended for those in the social and natural sciences who, while familiar with their own disciplinary approaches to resource issues, are not familiar with gendered perspectives on resource issues and the activism that surrounds them. It is also appropriate for students of gender studies unfamiliar with feminist scholarship in this area. Increasing concern for the development of more sustainable production systems has led to consideration of the ways in which gender, race, and class influence human-earth interactions. The course examines conceptual issues related to gender studies, earth systems, and land-use policies. It interrogates the complex intersections of activists, agencies and institutions in the global arena through a focus on contested power relations. The readings, videos and other materials used in the class are drawn from both the South and the North to familiarize students with the similarities and differences in gendered relationships to the earth, access to resources, and resource justice activism. Jill Schneiderman.
Not offered in 2017/18.
One 2-hour period.
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ESSC 370 - Feminist Perspectives on Environmentalism
1 unit(s)
(Same as ENST 370 and WMST 370 ) In this seminar we explore some basic concepts and approaches within feminist environmental analysis paying particular attention to feminist theory and its relevance to environmental issues. We examine a range of feminist research and analysis in ‘environmental studies’ that is connected by the recognition that gender subordination and environmental destruction are related phenomena. That is, they are the linked outcomes of forms of interactions with nature that are shaped by hierarchy and dominance, and they have global relevance. The course helps students discover the expansive contributions of feminist analysis and action to environmental research and advocacy; it provides the chance for students to apply the contributions of a feminist perspective to their own specific environmental interests. Jill Schneiderman.
Prerequisite(s): permission of the instructor; WMST 130 recommended.
Not offered in 2017/18.
One 2-hour period.
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ESSC 399 - Senior Independent Work Semester Offered: Fall or Spring
0.5 to 1 unit(s)
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Economics: I. Introductory |
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ECON 102 - Introduction to Economics Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
1 unit(s)
Economic forces shape our society and profoundly influence our daily lives. This course introduces students to economic concepts and to how economists think about the world. We explore both basic microeconomics - decision making by individuals and firms - and basic macroeconomics - issues related to coordinating individual activities across an entire economy. Topics will include demand and supply, market structures, GDP, the business cycle, and monetary and fiscal policies. The department.
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ECON 120 - Principles of Accounting Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
Accounting theory and practice, including preparation and interpretation of financial statements. Frederick Van Tassell.
Not open to Freshmen.
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Economics: II. Intermediate Freshmen may not take 200, 201, or 209 but they may take other courses numbered 200 and above in their second semester provided they have satisfied the prerequisite requirements.
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ECON 200 - Macroeconomic Theory Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
1 unit(s)
A structured analysis of the behavior of the national and international economies. Alternative theories explaining the determination of the levels of GDP, unemployment, the interest rate, the rate of inflation, economic growth, exchange rates, and trade and budget deficits are considered. These theories provide the basis for discussion of current economic policy controversies. The department.
Prerequisite(s): ECON 102 and permission of the instructor.
NRO for Seniors Only.
Two 75-minute periods.
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ECON 201 - Microeconomic Theory Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
1 unit(s)
Economics is about choice, and microeconomic theory begins with how consumers and producers make choices. Economic agents interact in markets, so we carefully examine the role markets play in allocating resources. Theories of perfect and imperfect competition are studied, emphasizing the relationship between market structure and market performance. General equilibrium analysis is introduced, and efficiency and optimality of the economic system are examined. Causes and consequences of market failure are also considered. The department.
Prerequisites: ECON 102 , MATH 121 , and permission of the instructor. With the instructor’s permission, students who have taken ECON 109 may take ECON 201 with concurrent enrollment in MATH 121 .
NRO for Seniors Only.
Two 75-minute periods.
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ECON 209 - Probability and Statistics Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
1 unit(s)
Probability and Statistics introduces basic probability theory, statistical analysis and its application in economics. The objective is to provide a solid, practical, and intuitive understanding of statistical analysis with emphasis on estimation, hypothesis testing, and linear regression. Additional topics include descriptive statistics, probability theory, random variables, sampling theory, statistical distributions, and an introduction to violations of the classical assumptions underlying the least-squares model. Students are introduced to the use of computers in statistical analysis. The department.
Prerequisites: ECON 102 , MATH 121 , and MATH 126 . With the instructor’s permission, students who have taken ECON 109 and MATH 121 may take ECON 209 with concurrent enrollment in MATH 126 .
NRO for Seniors Only.
Two 75-minute periods.
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ECON 210 - Econometrics Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
1 unit(s)
Econometrics equips students with the skills required for empirical economic research in industry, government, and academia. Topics covered include simple and multiple regression, maximum likelihood estimation, multicollinearity, heteroskedasticity, autocorrelation, distributed lags, simultaneous equations, instrumental variables, and time series analysis. The department.
Prerequisite(s): ECON 209 or an equivalent statistics course.
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ECON 215 - The Science of Strategy Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
Strategic behavior occurs in war, in business, in our personal lives, and even in nature. Game theory is the study of strategy, offering rigorous methods to analyze and predict behavior in strategic situations. This course introduces students to game theory and its application in a wide range of situations. Students learn how to model conflict and cooperation as games, and develop skills in the fine art of solving them. Applications are stressed, and these are drawn from many branches of economics, as well as from a variety of other fields. Geoffrey Jehle.
Prerequisite(s): ECON 102 .
Spring
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ECON 220 - The Political Economy of Health Care Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
(Same as STS 220 ) Topics include the markets for physicians and nurses, hospital services, pharmaceuticals, and health insurance, both public and private; effects of changes in medical technology; and global health problems. A comparative study of several other countries’ health care systems and reforms to the U.S. system focuses on problems of financing and providing access to health care in a climate of increasing demand and rising costs. Shirley Johnson-Lans.
Prerequisite(s): ECON 102 . Students with a strong quantitative background may enroll with the instructor’s permission.
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ECON 225 - Financial Markets and Investments Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
Financial Markets and Investments provides an overview of the structure and operation of financial markets, and the instruments traded in those markets. Particular emphasis is placed on portfolio choice, including asset allocation across risky investments and efficient diversification. Theoretical foundations of asset-pricing theories are developed, and empirical tests of these theories are reviewed. The course introduces valuation models for fixed-income securities, equities, and derivative instruments such as futures and options. Throughout the course, students apply investment theories by managing a simulated asset portfolio. Additional topics include financial statement analysis and performance evaluation measures. Tanseli Savaser.
Prerequisite(s): ECON 102, ECON 209 or MATH 241 .
Recommended: ECON 201 and ECON 209 .
Two 75-minute periods.
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ECON 238 - Law and Economics
1 unit(s)
Law and Economics uses economics to analyze legal rules and institutions. The primary focus is on the classic areas of common law: property, contracts, and torts. Some time is also spent on criminal law and/or constitutional law (e.g., voting, public choice, and administration). Much attention is paid to developing formal models to analyze conflict and bargaining, and applying those models to specific cases. Topics include the allocation of rights, legal remedies, bargaining and transaction costs, regulation versus liability, uncertainty, and the litigation process. Time permitting, the course may also include discussion of gun control, the death penalty, federalism, and competition among jurisdictions. Evsen Turkay-Pillai.
Prerequisite(s): ECON 102 , and one semester of college-level calculus.
Not offered in 2017/18.
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ECON 240 - U.S. Economic Issues Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
The U.S. economy has dominated the world economy for the last 60 years. With only five percent of the world’s population, it consumes roughly 25 percent of the world’s resources and produces approximately 25 percent of the world’s output. However, U.S. policy makers face substantial challenges in the years to come. The course surveys the causes and possible solutions for numerous issues including increasing international competition for jobs and resources, an aging population, persistent trade and government budget deficits, and rapid growth in entitlement programs. Other topics will be studied based on student interests and as time permits. This course utilizes readings, writing assignments and classroom discussion rather than quantitative problem sets. Robert Rebelein.
Prerequisite(s): ECON 102 .
Not open to students who have completed ECON 342 .
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ECON 248 - International Trade and the World Financial System Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
A policy-oriented introduction to basic models of trade adjustment, exchange rate determination and macroeconomics adjustment. These are applied to the principle issues and problems of the international economy. Topics include the changing pattern of trade, fixed and floating exchange rates, protectionism, foreign investment, the Euro-dollar market, the role of the WTO, the IMF and World Bank, the European Community and third-world debt. The department.
Prerequisite(s): ECON 102 .
Not open to students who have completed ECON 345 or ECON 346 .
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ECON 261 - Political Economy
1 unit(s)
Political Economy focuses on political strategy, public policy and the private sector and addresses the political, legal and social constraints on economic decision making. While economics typically focuses on strategic interactions in market contexts, e.g., customers, competitors, suppliers, workers—many strategic interactions occur outside of the marketplace. This course uses real world cases to examine strategies in non-market environments. Topics may include: activism, NGOs, the media, lobbying, the US political system, environmental and other regulation, anti-trust, intellectual property, international political economy, IGOs, trade policy, ethics, and corporate social responsibility. Benjamin Ho.
Prerequisite(s): ECON 102 .
Not offered in 2017/18.
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ECON 273 - Development Economics Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
(Same as INTL 273 ) A survey of central issues in the field of development economics. Topics include economic growth, the role of institutions, trade, poverty, inequality, education, child labor, health, the environment, conflict and impact evaluation. Examples and case studies from Africa, Asia and Latin America provide the context for these topics. Gisella Kagy.
Prerequisite: ECON 102 .
Two 75-minute periods.
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ECON 275 - Money and Banking Semester Offered: Fall and Spring
1 unit(s)
Money and Banking covers the structure of financial institutions, their role in the provision of money and credit, and the overall importance of these institutions in the economy. The course includes discussion of money, interest rates, financial market structure, bank operations and regulation, and the structure of the banking sector. The course also covers central banks, monetary policy, and international exchange as it relates to monetary policy and the banking sector. The ultimate goal is to provide a deeper understanding of the structure of financial markets, the reasons why it is optimal for these markets to be well functioning, and the key barriers to this optimal outcome. Esteban Argudo.
Prerequisite(s): ECON 102 .
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ECON 277 - The Development of the American Economy Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
A survey of economic development in the Americas emphasizing the United States from colonial times through the 20th century. The emphasis is on the use of economic theory and quantitative evidence to explore key questions and themes related to the development of the American economy. Dustin Frye.
Prerequisite(s): ECON 102 .
Two 75-minute periods.
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ECON 290 - Field Work Semester Offered: Fall or Spring
0.5 unit(s)
Individual or group field projects or internships. The department.
Prerequisite(s): a course in the department. Permission required. Corequisite: a course in the department. Permission required.
May be elected during the academic year or during the summer.
Unscheduled.
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ECON 298 - Independent Work Semester Offered: Fall or Spring
0.5 to 1 unit(s)
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Economics: III. Advanced |
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ECON 300 - Senior Reseach Semester Offered: Fall
0.5 unit(s)
Structured independent work with a faculty advisor designed to result in a paper that can be used as a detailed proposal for the senior thesis. The paper is typically a literature review and a full description of a theoretical model and/or econometric project (including data) or experimental work required to complete the thesis. Students should seek permission to undertake this course of study from the faculty advisor no later than the beginning of the Fall semester of their Senior year but ideally they will do so during the Spring semester of their Junior year or the summer preceding their Senior year. Required of all students who wish to write a thesis in economics but open to senior economics majors who wish to gain research experience. Students may continue with ECON 301 upon completion of ECON 300 with the approval of the advisor and the department. The department.
Prerequisite(s): ECON 210 .
Open to senior majors by special permission of the advisor.
Two 75-minute periods.
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ECON 301 - Senior Thesis Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
The sequel to ECON 300 leading to the completion of the senior thesis. Students will submit the finished thesis by noon on the fourth Friday after spring vacation and give a half-hour oral presentation of their thesis to the department at the end of the semester. The department.
Open to senior majors who have successfully completed ECON 300 and received departmental approval to complete the thesis.
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ECON 304 - Advanced Topics in Macroeconomics
1 unit(s)
This course examines recent theoretical and applied work in macroeconomics, with a special focus on the analytical foundations of modern growth theory. The requisite dynamic optimization methods are developed during the course (this involves the regular use of partial differentiation techniques). Topics include the relationship of education, demographics, institutions and industrial organization with economic growth.
Prerequisite(s): ECON 200 , ECON 201 , and MATH 220 or equivalent, or permission of the instructor.
Not offered in 2017/18.
One 3-hour period.
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ECON 310 - Advanced Topics in Econometrics
1 unit(s)
Analysis of the classical linear regression model and the consequences of violating its basic assumptions. Topics include maximum likelihood estimation, asymptotic properties of estimators, simultaneous equations, instrumental variables, limited dependent variables and an introduction to time series models. Applications to economic problems are emphasized throughout the course. Paul Ruud.
Prerequisite(s): ECON 210 and MATH 220 and MATH 221 or equivalent, or permission of the instructor.
Not offered in 2017/18.
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ECON 318 - Urban and Regional Economics
1 unit(s)
(Same as URBS 318 ) An exploration of the nature and development of urban areas that begins with an examination of the theory of why cities grow and how individuals and firms choose their locations before covering patterns of land use, suburbanization, transportation, education, crime, and housing and their influence the growth of cities. Dustin Frye.
Prerequisite(s): ECON 201 and ECON 209 .
Not offered in 2017/18.
Two 75-minute periods.
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ECON 333 - Behavioral Economics Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
A survey of the empirical and experimental evidence that human behavior often deviates from the predictions made by models that assume full rationality. This course combines economics, psychology, and experimental methods to explore impulsivity, impatience, overconfidence, reciprocity, fairness, the enforcement of social norms, the effects of status, addiction, the myopia that people exhibit when having to plan for the future, and other behaviors which deviate from economic rationality. Benjamin Ho.
Prerequisite(s): ECON 201 and ECON 209 .
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ECON 342 - Public Finance Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
Public Finance considers the effects that government expenditure, taxation, and regulation have on people and the economy. Attention is given to how government policy can correct failures of the free market system. Topics include the effect taxes have on consumption and employment decisions, the U.S. income tax system, income redistribution, budget deficits, environmental policy, health care, voting, and social security. Robert Rebelein.
Prerequisite(s): ECON 201 .
Two 75-minute periods.
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ECON 345 - International Trade Theory and Policy
1 unit(s)
This course examines classical, neoclassical and modern theories of international trade, as well as related empirical evidence. Topics included are: the relationship between economic growth and international trade; the impact of trade on the distribution of income; the theory of tariffs and commercial policy; economic integration, trade and trade policy under imperfect competition. Geoffrey Jehle.
Prerequisite(s): ECON 201 .
Not offered in 2017/18.
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ECON 346 - International Macroeconomics Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
The course is devoted to the problems of balance of payments and adjustment mechanisms. Topics include: the balance of payments and the foreign ex-change market; causes of disturbances and processes of adjustment in the balance of payments and the foreign exchange market under fixed and flexible exchange rate regimes; issues in maintaining internal and external balance; optimum currency areas; the history of the international monetary system and recent attempts at reform; capital movements and the international capital market. The department.
Prerequisite(s): ECON 200 and college-level calculus, or permission of the instructor.
Not offered in 2016/17.
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ECON 355 - Industrial Organization Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
This course examines the behavior of firms under conditions of imperfect competition. The role of market power is studied, including the strategies it permits, e.g., monopoly pricing, price discrimination, quality choice, and product proliferation. Strategic behavior among firms is central to many of the topics of the course. As such, game theory is introduced to study strategic behavior, and is applied to topics such as oligopoly pricing, entry and deterrence, product differentiation, advertising, and innovation. Time permitting, the course may also include durable goods pricing, network effects, antitrust economics, and vertical integration. Evsen Turkay-Pillai.
Prerequisite(s): ECON 201 and ECON 209 .
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ECON 367 - Comparative Economics
1 unit(s)
A study of different economic systems and institutions, beginning with a comparison of industrialized market economies in the U.S., Asia, and Europe. Pre-perestroika USSR is studied as an example of a centrally planned economy and the transition to a market economy is examined, with additional focus on the Czech Republic and Poland. Alternatives to both market and planned systems - such as worker self-management, market socialism, and social democracy - are also explored with emphasis on the experience of Yugoslavia and Sweden. David Kennett.
Prerequisite(s): at least two units of Economics at or above the 200-level.
Not offered in 2017/18.
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ECON 382 - Economics of Disasters Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
A survey of the frequency, cost, and forms of compensation associated with disasters. A disaster occurs when natural phenomena cause damage, injury or loss of life and assets, environmental degradation, disruption in the livelihoods of individuals and communities, and interruptions in economic and social activity. While disasters are a global occurrence, the primary focus of this course is the experience with disasters in the United States. Risk management and policy discussions related to compensation and mitigation draw upon international best practice. Specific types of catastrophic events examined in the course include hurricanes, floods, tornadoes, drought, wildfires, and geological and man-made disasters.
Prerequisite(s): ECON 201 and ECON 209 .
Two 75-minute periods.
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ECON 383 - History of Economic Thought Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
A survey of the world-wide history of economic thought, from the ancient world to the present. Major contributions to the theories of value, production, and distribution are considered. Influential schools of thought and the technological, ideological and social forces that shaped them are examined concluding with an analysis of the development of modern economic thinking. Philosophical and methodological issues are discussed throughout. Paul Ruud.
Prerequisite(s): ECON 200 , ECON 201 and permission of the instructor.
Two 75-minute periods.
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ECON 386 - The Economics of Immigration Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
This course examines the theoretical and empirical models that economists have developed to study the economic impact of immigration. The course describes the history of immigration policy in the United States and analyzes the various economic issues that dominate the current debate over immigration policy. These issues include the changing contribution of immigrants to the country’s skill endowment; the rate of economic assimilation experienced by immigrants; the impact of immigrants on the employment opportunities of other workers in the US; the impact of immigrant networks on immigrants and the source and magnitude of the economic benefits generated by immigration. The course also studies the social and civic dimensions of immigration - how it relates to education, marriage, segregation etc. We compare various cohorts of immigrants who entered the US at different time periods. We also compare generations residing in the US, more specifically immigrants and their children. Sukanya Basu.
Prerequisite(s): ECON 201 and ECON 209 .
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ECON 388 - Latin American Economic Development Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
(Same as LALS 388 ) This course examines why many Latin American countries started with levels of development similar to those of the U.S. and Canada but were not able to keep up. The course begins with discussions of various ways of thinking about and measuring economic development and examines the record of Latin American countries on various measures, including volatile growth rates, high income and wealth inequality, and high crime rates. We then turn to an analysis of the colonial and post-Independence period to examine the roots of the weak institutional development than could explain a low growth trajectory. Next, we examine the post WWII period, exploring the import substitution of 1970s, the debt crises of the 1980s, and the structural adjustment of the 1990s. Finally, we look at events in the past decade, comparing and contrasting the experience of different countries with respect to growth, poverty and inequality. Sarah Pearlman.
Prerequisite(s): ECON 102 .
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ECON 389 - Applied Financial Modeling
1 unit(s)
Applications of economic theory and econometrics to the analysis of financial data. Topics include the efficient markets hypothesis, capital asset pricing model, consumption based models, term structure of interest rates, arbitrage pricing theory, exchange rates, volatility, generalized method of moments, time-series econometrics. Paul Johnson.
Prerequisite(s): ECON 201 , ECON 210 and ECON 225 , MATH 126 and MATH 127 or equivalent; or permission of the instructor.
Recommended: MATH 220 , MATH 221 recommended.
Not offered in 2017/18.
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ECON 399 - Senior Independent Work Semester Offered: Fall or Spring
0.5 to 1 unit(s)
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Environmental Studies: I. Introductory |
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ENST 100 - Earth Resource Challenges
1 unit(s)
(Same as ESCI 100 , ESSC 100 , and GEOG 100 ) This course combines the insights of the natural and social sciences to address a topic of societal concern. Geographers bring spatial analysis of human environmental change, while Earth scientists contribute their knowledge of the diverse natural processes shaping the Earth’s surface. Together, these distinctive yet complementary fields contribute to comprehensive understandings of the physical limitations and potentials, uses and misuses of the Earth’s natural resources. Each year the topic of the course changes to focus on selected resource problems facing societies and environments around the world. When this course is team-taught by faculty from Earth Science and Geography, it serves as an introduction to both disciplines.
Open only to freshmen; satisfies college requirement for a Freshman Writing Seminar.
Not offered in 2017/18.
Two 75-minute periods.
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ENST 107 - Global Change and Sustainability Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
This class offers an interdisciplinary introduction to the climate, ecosystem and sustainability principles needed to understand human impact on the natural environment. We discuss the issue of global change prediction and the scientific basis for global change assessments and policy measures. Key topics are the physical climate system and its variability, the carbon cycle and related ecosystem processes, land use issues, nutrient cycles, and the impact of global change on society. Common threads in all of these topics include the use of observations and models, the consideration of multiple scales (temporal and spatial), the interaction of human behaviors and choices with natural systems, and the linkages among aspects of the global change issue. Alison Spodek.
Two 75-minute periods.
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ENST 124 - Essentials of Environmental Science Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
A lecture/laboratory course in which basic topics in environmental biology, geology, and chemistry are covered with examples from current environmental issues used to illustrate the application and interdisciplinary nature of these fields. This course treats the following topics: energy sources and waste products, atmospheric patterns and climate, biogeochemical cycles, properties of soils and water, and ecological processes. Using these topics as a platform, this course examines the impact humanity has on the environment and discusses strategies to diminish those effects. The laboratory component includes field trips, field investigations, and laboratory exercises. Kirsten Menking.
Two 75-minute periods; one 4-hour laboratory.
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ENST 125 - Environmentalisms in Perspective Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
This multidisciplinary course examines significant approaches to the theory and practice of environmentalisms past and present. Students explore possible connections between the ethical, aesthetic, social, economic, historical, and scientific concerns that comprise environmental studies. The methods of inquiry we follow and the environmentalisms we consider vary among sections. Mark Andrews.
Required of students concentrating in the program.
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ENST 185 - Endangered Islands: Climate Change, Rising Sea Levels, and Environmental Refugees Semester Offered: Fall
0.5 unit(s)
This course offers a comparative multidisciplinary analysis of three island groups highly endangered by rising sea levels and expected to undergo far-reaching changes as a result of climate change by the year 2050: the Bahamas, the Maldives, and Vanuatu. Environmentally, these three island groups share similar quandaries: essential infrastructure located on the coast; rapidly deteriorating reef systems increasingly vulnerable to bleaching events caused by rising sea temperatures; intensifying coastal erosion threatening vital tourism infrastructure; significant concentrations of people of lower socioeconomic status living in floodplains; threats to fresh water availability and quality; high risks of food insecurity; and potential for their populations becoming environmental refugees. As a result, they feature prominently among the most endangered in the world. They differ markedly, however, in their comparable levels of resilience-in their capacity for environmental mitigation, and ability to successfully adapt to rapidly changing environmental conditions. Their respective environmental crises have elicited significantly different governmental and civil society responses, which can severely impact the way their populations and infrastructures can adapt to fast approaching crises. Lisa Paravisini.
Second six-week course.
Two 75-minute periods.
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ENST 187 - A Prehistoric Perspective on Climate Change Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
This course situates current climate change in the context of that which shaped the human species, from evolutionary and social perspectives. The course opens by reviewing how the Earth’s climate has changed over the past century, and the ecological consequences of this. We then review the history of climate change since our species’ origin, and how such instances have impacted the environments in which we evolved. We transition from this evolutionary perspective to a social one, asking, ‘at what point did human intelligence and technology mitigate the evolutionary consequences of climate change? At what points was climate change more than civilizations could handle?’ The latter half of the class examines archaeological and historical evidence of how human societies have handled environmental hardships resulting from climate change. We end by examining the parallels between past and present and asking what environmental, ecological and biological consequences might await our still short-lived species in the present climatic conundrum. Zachary Cofran.
Two 75-minute periods.
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Environmental Studies: II. Intermediate |
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ENST 254 - Environmental Science in the Field Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
(Same as GEOG 254 ) The environment consists of complex and often elegant interactions between various constituents so that an interdisciplinary approach is required to understand how human interactions may affect it. In this course, we study a variety of aspects of a specific environment by considering how biological, chemical, geological, and human factors interact. We observe these interactions first hand during a weeklong field trip. Some of the questions we may consider are: How does a coral polyp create an environment that not only suits its particular species, but also helps regulate the global climate? How has human development and associated water demands in the desert Southwest changed the landscape, fire ecology, and even estuary and fisheries’ health as far away as the Gulf of California? How have a variety of species (humans included) managed to survive on an island with the harsh environment of the exposed mid-ocean ridge of Iceland? The course is offered every other year, and topics vary with expertise of the faculty teaching the course. Jenny Magnes and Mary Ann Cunningham.
Prerequisite(s): permission of the instructor.
Two 75-minute periods.
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ENST 258 - Environment and Culture in the Caribbean
1 unit(s)
(Same as AFRS 258 ) The ecology of the islands of the Caribbean has undergone profound change since the arrival of Europeans to the region in 1492. The course traces the history of the relationship between ecology and culture from pre-Columbian civilizations to the economies of tourism. Among the specific topics of discussion are: Arawak and Carib notions of nature and conservation of natural resources; the impact of deforestation and changes in climate; the plantation economy as an ecological revolution; the political implications of the tensions between the economy of the plot and that of the plantation; the development of environmental conservation and its impact on notions of nationhood; the ecological impact of resort tourism; the development of eco-tourism. These topics are examined through a variety of materials: historical documents, essays, art, literature, music, and film. Lisa Paravisini.
Not offered in 2017/18.
Two 75-minute periods.
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ENST 260 - Issues in Environmental Studies Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
Topic for 2017/18b: Climate Change: Caribbean Environments and Cultures.Caribbean island nations are among the most susceptible to climate change. Perturbations of weather patterns, sea level, and ecological systems are already creating significant hazards for these nations. In this course we examine the science and societal implications of climate change on the diverse cultures and ecologies of the Caribbean. Lisa Paravisini, Jodi Schwarz.
Two 75-minute periods.
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ENST 261 - “The Nuclear Cage”: Environmental Theory and Nuclear Power Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
(Same as SOCI 261 and INTL 261 ) The central aim of this course is to explore debates about the interaction between beings, including humans, animals, plants and the earth within the context of advanced capitalism by concentrating on the production, distribution, consumption, and disposal of nuclear power. The first question concerning the class is how does Environmental Theory approach nuclear power and its impact on the environment. The second question deals with how this construction interacts with other forms of debate regarding nuclear power, especially concentrating on the relation between science, market and the state in dealing with nature, and how citizens formulate and articulate their understanding of nuclear power through social movements. Pinar Batur.
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ENST 262 - Consuming Paradise: A Global Pre-History of Environmentalism
1 unit(s)
Today’s fundamental topics of environmental justice and sustainability are not new. Likewise, our contemporary concerns with invasive species, wildlife conservation, and environmental degradation have deep histories. We trace the early development of these topics and concerns through the lens of imperial production and consumption, centered on the Global South, from the beginnings of European colonialism through the twentieth century. Tropical fruits, sugar, and spice first attracted Europeans and quickly turned verdant islands and robust laborers to dust. Innumerable weeds and other plants travelled the oceans—along with voracious sheep, cattle, and pig—reshaping the environment and inciting debate wherever they went. Commercial hunting and big game shooting flourished, giving rise to conservationism and hinting at the value of biodiversity as wildlife dwindled or disappeared. The appropriation of tropical resources—notably through the patenting of tropical species by private corporations—continues today in an ostensibly post-colonial world, forcing us to question just how much our interests in the environment have really changed. Julie Hughes.
Not offered in 2017/18.
Two 75-minute periods.
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ENST 266 - Racism, Waste and Resistance
1 unit(s)
(Same as SOCI 266 ) The 21st century will be defined in the dramatic consequences of the current events and movements regarding our waste: global climate change, pollution, resource depletion, contamination and extinction. One of the most striking and consistent observations is that racism plays a major role in placing waste in close proximity to those racially distinct, economically exploited and politically oppressed. This class examines the destructive global dynamics of environmental racism and resistance, as struggles against it. Pinar Batur.
Not offered in 2017/18.
Two 75-minute periods.
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ENST 270 - Topics in Environmental Studies Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
The purpose of this course is to take up topics relevant to environmental studies, and examine them through the perspectives of the humanities and the natural or social sciences.
Topic for 2017/18b: It’s Only Natural: Contemplation in the American Landscape. This course examines the ways in which Americans have approached the natural world as both a source of revelation and an object of contemplation. Drawing on a wide range of literary, environmental and religious texts, we explore the dynamic relations between concepts of the natural, the human, and the divine in American and Native American experience. We also consider the American landscape tradition in painting and photography, as well as certain forms of folk music. We take field trips to local sites, including parks, farms, museums and monasteries, and host class visits from educators and artists. Techniques of contemplation play a role in the course. Paul Kane.
Prerequisite(s): permission of the instructor.
One 2-hour period plus one 4-hour lab.
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ENST 271 - Literature and the American Environment
1 unit(s)
This course considers the representations of nature and the environment in American literature, from the nineteenth century to the present, with special emphasis on contemporary experience and perception. Topics will include: the importance of sense of place (and displacement); multiple cultural discourses about nature; the rise of modern ecocriticism; indigenous understandings of the natural world; and the role of literature in environmental movements. Readings will be drawn from such authors as H. D. Thoreau, Mary Austin, Jean Toomer, Aldo Leopold, Gary Snyder, Barry Lopez, Leslie Silko, John Edgar Wideman, Annie Dillard, Mary Oliver, and Terry Tempest Williams, as well as from critical and scholarly sources. Paul Kane.
(Not available to students who have taken ENST 270 .)
Not offered in 2017/18.
Two 75-minute periods.
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ENST 284 - Global Climate Change: Harvey, Jose, Irma, Maria and Next? Semester Offered: Spring
0.5 unit(s)
(Same as INTL 284 ) Since Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in 2005, shock at the massive level of destruction has given way to deep concern about what to do now, next, and down the road to bring back this unique city and region to social, cultural and economic health. Yet, many of New Orleans’s problems, which are also endemic to other US cities, predated the hurricane but were intensified following the disaster. Then, Sandy came to New York and devastated the “big apple,” which considered itself the capital of the financial markets of the world. These hurricanes not only devastated the cities and surrounding regions, they also highlighted the widespread and racialized poverty, failing public education systems, low wages, crumbling infrastructure, and polluted environments. And in 2017 came Harvey, Irma, Jose and Maria: four storms that were powerful, destructive, and signals of more to come. Are they caused or strengthened by climate change?
This class, by focusing on climate science, history, economics, politics, cultural and social studies, examines the impact of the recent devastation of hurricanes, the possible future that they indicate for the US and the Caribbean, and the possibility of developing alternative policies to confront the growing risk and un-insurability of tomorrow. Pinar Batur.
Second six-week course.
Two 75-minute periods.
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ENST 290 - Field Work Semester Offered: Fall or Spring
0.5 to 1 unit(s)
Individual or group field projects or internships. Prior approval of advisor and instructor supervising the work are required. May be taken during the academic year or during the summer. Participating faculty.
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ENST 291 - Field Experiences in the Hudson Valley Semester Offered: Fall or Spring
0.5 unit(s)
The course emphasizes project-based learning that, rather than beginning with established divisions or disciplines, focuses on problems or questions to which students can bring all the resources of their previous classes in a truly multidisciplinary fashion. Leonard Nevarez.
Special permission required.
Required for Environmental Studies majors. ENST 276 can be taken instead if 291 is not being offered.
First 6-weeks of fall semester and second 6-weeks of spring semester.
Two 75-minute periods.
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ENST 298 - Independent Research Semester Offered: Fall or Spring
0.5 to 1 unit(s)
Individual or group project or study. Prior approval of advisor and instructor supervising the work are required. May be taken during the academic year or during the summer. Participating faculty.
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Environmental Studies: III. Advanced |
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ENST 300 - Senior Project/Thesis Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
Recognizing the diverse interests and course programs of students in Environmental Studies, the program entertains many models for a senior project/thesis. Depending on their disciplinary concentration and interests, students may conduct laboratory or field studies, literary and historical analyses, or policy studies. Senior project/thesis proposals must be approved by the steering committee.
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ENST 303 - Thesis Semester Offered: Fall
0.5 unit(s)
Yearlong course 303-ENST 304 .
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ENST 304 - Thesis Semester Offered: Spring
0.5 unit(s)
Yearlong course ENST 303 -304.
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ENST 321 - Advanced Topics in Environmental Geology Semester Offered: Fall
unit(s)
(Same as ESCI 321 ) This course investigates fundamental geologic controls on environmental issues such as resource distribution and use, ground and surface water pollution, and atmospheric pollution. A specific topic is selected each year, and work in the class includes a survey of relevant literature, field visits to local sites, and development of a group project.
Prerequisite(s): ESCI 151 or ENST 124 .
One 4-hour period.
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ENST 335 - Paleoclimatology: Earth’s History of Climate Change Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
(Same as ESCI 335 ) In recent decades, record high temperatures and extreme weather events have led scientists and policy makers to grapple with the fact that human activities are affecting the climate system. At the same time, scientists have come to realize that climate is capable of dramatic shifts in the absence of human intervention. The science of paleoclimatology seeks to understand the extent and causes of natural climatic variability in order to establish the baseline on top of which anthropogenic changes are occurring. In this course we examine the structure and properties of the oceans and atmosphere and how the general circulation of these systems redistributes heat throughout the globe; study how cycles in Earth’s orbital parameters, plate tectonics, changes in ocean circulation, and the evolution of plants have affected climate; and explore the different lines of evidence used to reconstruct climate history. Weekly laboratory projects introduce students to paleoclimatic methods and to records of climatic change from the Paleozoic through the Little Ice Age. Kirsten Menking.
Prerequisite(s): 200-level work in Earth Science or permission of the instructor.
One 4-hour classroom/laboratory/field period.
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ENST 352 - Conservation Biology
1 unit(s)
(Same as BIOL 352 ) Conservation Biology uses a multidisciplinary approach to study how to best maintain the earth’s biodiversity and functioning ecosystems. We examine human impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem function and discuss how to develop practical approaches for mitigating those impacts. We start the semester by assessing the current human footprint on global resources, asking questions about what we are trying to preserve, why we are trying to preserve it, and how we can accomplish our goals. We critically examine the assumptions made by conservation biologists throughout, using case studies from around the world to explore a range of perspectives. Discussion topics include conservation in an agricultural context, the efficacy of marine protected areas, the impact of climate change on individual species and preserve design, restoration ecology, the consequences of small population sizes, conservation genetics, the impacts of habitat fragmentation and invasive species, and urban ecology. Margaret Ronsheim.
Prerequisites: two units of 200-level biology or one unit of 200-level biology and one of the following: ESCI 221 , ESCI 361 , GEOG 224 , GEOG 260 , or GEOG 356 .
Recommended: BIOL 241 , BIOL 208 , or BIOL 226 , GEOG 260 , GEOG 224 , or GEOG 356 ; or permission of the instructor.
Not offered in 2017/18.
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ENST 356 - Environment and Land-Use Planning
1 unit(s)
(Same as GEOG 356 and URBS 356 ) This seminar focuses on land-use issues such as open-space planning, urban design, transportation planning, and the social and environmental effects of planning and land use policies. The focus of the course this year is impacts of planning policies (such as transportation, zoning, or growth boundaries) on environmental quality, including open space preservation, farmland conservation, and environmental services. We begin with global and regional examples and then apply ideas in the context of Dutchess County’s trajectory of land use change and planning policies. Susan Blickstein.
Prerequisite(s): one 200-level course in Geography, Urban Studies or Environmental Studies.
Not offered in 2017/18.
One 3-hour period.
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ENST 361 - Modeling the Earth
1 unit(s)
(Same as ESCI 361 ) Computer models are powerful tools in the Earth and Environmental Sciences for generating and testing hypotheses about how the Earth system functions and for allowing simulation of processes in places inaccessible to humans (e.g. Earth’s deep interior), too slow to permit observation (e.g., erosion driven uplift of mountains ranges), or too large to facilitate construction of physical models (e.g., Earth’s climate system). Taking readings from the scientific literature, we create and then perform experiments with simple computer models, using the STELLA iconographic box-modeling software package. Topics include the global phosphorus cycle, Earth’s radiative balance with the sun and resulting temperature, the flow of ice in glaciers, and the role of life in moderating Earth’s climate. Toward the end of the semester, students apply the skills they have acquired to a modeling project of their own devising. Kirsten Menking.
Prerequisite(s): one 200-level course in the natural sciences.
Satisfies the college requirement for quantitative reasoning.
Not offered in 2017/18.
One 4-hour classroom/laboratory period.
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ENST 368 - Toxic Futures: From Social Theory to Environmental Theory Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
(Same as INTL 368 and SOCI 368 ) The central aim of this class is to examine the foundations of the discourse on society and nature in social theory and environmental theory to explore two questions. The first question is how does social theory approach the construction of the future, and the second question is how has this construction informed the present debates on the impact of industrialization, urbanization, state-building and collective movements on the environment? In this context, the class focuses on how social theory informs different articulations of Environmental Thought and its political and epistemological fragmentation and the limits of praxis, as well as its contemporary construction of alternative futures. Pinar Batur.
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ENST 370 - Feminist Perspectives on Environmentalism
1 unit(s)
(Same as ESSC 370 and WMST 370 ) In this seminar we explore some basic concepts and approaches within feminist environmental analysis paying particular attention to feminist theory and its relevance to environmental issues. We examine a range of feminist research and analysis in ‘environmental studies’ that is connected by the recognition that gender subordination and environmental destruction are related phenomena. That is, they are the linked outcomes of forms of interactions with nature that are shaped by hierarchy and dominance, and they have global relevance. The course helps students discover the expansive contributions of feminist analysis and action to environmental research and advocacy; it provides the chance for students to apply the contributions of a feminist perspective to their own specific environmental interests. Jill Schneiderman.
Prerequisite(s): permission of the instructor; WMST 130 recommended.
Not offered in 2017/18.
One 2-hour period.
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ENST 375 - Aquatic Chemistry
0.5 or 1 unit(s)
(Same as CHEM 375 ) This course explores the fundamentals of aqueous chemistry as applied to natural waters. The global water cycle and major water resources are introduced. Principles explored include: kinetics and thermodynamics, atmosphere-water interactions, rock-water interactions, precipitation and dissolution, acids and bases, oxidation and reduction, and nutrient and trace metal cycling. Alison Spodek.
Prerequisite(s): CHEM 245 ; PHYS 113 , PHYS 114 ; MATH 121 , MATH 126 and MATH 127 or the equivalent; or permission of the instructor.
Not offered in 2017/18.
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ENST 381 - Topics in Ecosystem Ecology - Ecosystem Structure and Function Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
(Same as BIOL 381 ) Ecosystems are complex systems, where biotic and abiotic factors interact to create the world we see around us. Understanding the nature of ecosystems is fundamental to understanding how disturbance and change in a dynamic world will influence ecosystem stability. This is especially critical as we enter the Anthropocene; a time in our planets history where one species, modern humans, dominate. Major changes brought about by increased human activity include changing climate regimes, invasive species spread and biodiversity loss. This course explores how ecosystems, both aquatic and terrestrial, are assembled (structured) and how different ecosystems process energy and matter (function). We use our understanding of structure and function to explore how different ecosystems respond to changes in the environment (including climate change, invasive species introductions, loss of biodiversity and pollution). A class project will explore an ecosystem scale problem, and students will develop a plan for effectively communicating the scientific understanding of the problem to multiple stakeholders. Ms. Christenson.
Prerequisite(s): BIOL 241 .
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ENST 383 - Dissent at the End of the Anthropocene
1 unit(s)
(Same as INTL 383 and SOCI 383 ) Thomas Jefferson famously argued, “Dissent is the highest form of patriotism.” The hallmarks of globalization—financial oligarchies, resource depletion, environmental pollution, global climate change, profound inequality—have given us the most convincing evidence to date that the ideals of progress, optimism, and humanism that have grew out of the Enlightenment are not fulfilling their promise. Perhaps these concepts became corrupted, or perhaps this is because these thought-systems have not paid adequate attention to the ethical dimensions of our economic, geopolitical, and social development, and counter cultural movements. On the other hand, movements of dissent have grown up around these ideals since at least the eighteenth century and some argue that if the Anthropocene, “the age of humankind,” is to continue, we will have to fundamentally change our thinking. This course addresses the legacy of progressive “counter-Enlightenment” movements to develop an understanding of their discourse. Pinar Batur.
Not offered in 2017/18.
One 3-hour period.
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ENST 385 - Technology, Ecology, and Society
1 unit(s)
(Same as STS 385 ) Examines the interactions between human beings and their environment as mediated by technology, focusing on the period from the earliest evidence of toolmaking approximately up to the Industrial Revolution. Student research projects often bring the course up to the present. Includes experimentation with ancient technologies and field trips to local markets and craft workshops.
Prerequisite(s): previous coursework in Anthropology, Environmental Studies, or Science, Technology, and Society, or permission of the instructor.
Not offered in 2017/18.
One 2-hour period; plus 4 hour lab.
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ENST 389 - From the Natural History Museum to Ecotourism:The Collection of Nature
1 unit(s)
(Same as AMST 389 ) From the rise of the Natural History Museum, the Bureau of Ethnology, and early endeavors to create a national literature, the appropriation of American Indian lands and Amerian Indians (as natural objects) offered Euro-Americans a means to realize their new national identity. Today, the American consumer-collector goes beyond the boundaries of the museum, national park, and zoo and into ecotourism, which claims to make a low impact on the environment and local culture, while helping to generate money, jobs, and the conservation of wildlife and vegetation. This course investigates historical and current trends in the way North Americans recover, appropriate, and represent non-western cultures, ‘exotic’ animals, and natural environments from theoretical and ideological perspectives. Course readings draw from the fields of anthropology, archaeology, museology, literature, and environmental studies.
Not offered in 2017/18.
One 2-hour period.
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ENST 399 - Senior Independent Research Semester Offered: Fall or Spring
0.5 to 1 unit(s)
Individual or group project or study. Prior approval of advisor and instructor supervising the work are required. May be taken during the academic year or during the summer. Participating faculty.
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Film: I. Introductory |
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FILM 175 - Introduction to Screen Arts Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
An introductory exploration of central features of film and television aesthetics, including formal and stylistic elements, such as color, lighting, editing, sound, narrative structure, etc. Students will be exposed to a wide spectrum of types of films and television shows, including: silent, abstract, non-narrative, foreign, and documentaries, and the artistic choices manifested by each. We look at issues pertaining to production, distribution, and exhibition. Subjects are treated topically rather than historically, and emphasis is placed on mastering key vocabulary and concepts. The department.
Two 75-minute periods plus outside screenings.
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Film: II. Intermediate |
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FILM 210 - World Cinema to 1945 Semester Offered: Fall
1 unit(s)
An international history of film from its invention through the silent era and the coming of sound to mid-century. The course focuses on major directors, technological change, industrial organization, and the contributions of various national movements. In addition to the historical survey, this course introduces students to the major issues of classical film theory. The department.
Prerequisite(s): FILM 175 strongly suggested but not required.
Two 75-minute periods plus outside screenings.
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FILM 211 - World Cinema After 1945 Semester Offered: Spring
1 unit(s)
An international history of film from mid-century to the present day. The course focuses on major directors, technological changes, industrial organization, and the contributions of various national movements. In addition to the historical survey, this course explores the major schools of contemporary film theory, e.g., auteurism, semiology, Marxist theory, feminism. The department.
Prerequisite(s): FILM 210 , and permission of the instructor.
Two 75-minute periods plus outside screenings.
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