ENV42700

In this course, we will examine the interrelationship between the environment and our human species from the complementary perspectives of anthropology and ecology. We will examine case studies of human groups from prehistory to the present and across a variety of the world's major environmental zones, addressing key questions such as: How have different human groups adapted, both biologically and culturally and across time, to the environments they have inhabited? Are small-scale groups better adapted to their environments than large-scale groups? How did the fossil fuel revolution transform human ecology? What are the ecological dimensions of human fertility, infectious disease, and nutrition? How should human cultural values, ideologies, and differences in power be incorporated into studies of human ecology? How can policy-makers draw on these lessons to formulate effective strategies for the simultaneous conservation of biological and cultural diversity? Students will develop their answers to these questions through lecture, reading, writing, and discussion. SPECIAL NOTES: