Environmental Humanities - Human places in environmental contexts

About the course

The course aims to give the student a multi- and interdisciplinary introduction to central questions and traditions in the emerging research field of environmental humanities. The central theme of the course is the relation between people and places in the ongoing changes of environment and societies, which is reflected in the course literature and examinations. The course examines how human frameworks of understanding, ways of life, and cultural expressions are shaped through the tensions between global and place-based perspectives on environmental and sustainability issues. The student learns to apply environmental humanities' perspectives on environmental and sustainability challenges, among others, by referring to history of ideas, discursive analytical, ecocritical and environmental ethical arguments. This includes a critical reflection on how places are constructed, and how this affects different groups in society. In order to analyze these relations, this course builds on theories and approaches in the field of environmental humanities. Thereby, this course provides the students with a multifaceted understanding of how the humanities' perspectives on the environment can contribute to create sustainable societies.