ENS288 Environmental History I

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2016
Extent and Intensity
2/0. 6 credit(s). Type of Completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Filip Havlíček (lecturer)
doc. PhDr. Lubor Kysučan, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Nicholas Paul Orsillo (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. Mgr. Bohuslav Binka, Ph.D.
Department of Environmental Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Bc. Petra Burišková
Supplier department: Department of Environmental Studies – Faculty of Social Studies
Timetable
Tue 17:00–18:30 U42
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 21 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
The main aim of this course is to familiarize students with environmental history, that is, with the study of the interactions that have played out between humans and the environment over the course of our history as a species. In doing so, students should gain a good understanding how the past has affected the environment we live in and depend on today. Students will be able to understand and explain various topics currently popular within the field of environmental history. They will also gain an idea of the various methods that can be used in this interdisciplinary field. At the end of the course students will be able to recognize how past interactions between humans and the environment have created today's physical landscapes.
Syllabus
  • Over the course of the semester, we will focus on various major topics from different time periods in global environmental history. Each lecture will present a different theme and time period. Some of the topics to be covered include: - Prehistory: the origins of humans, the dawn of agriculture - Antiquity: the environment in the classical world, Greece, Rome, etc. - the Middle Ages - the Age of Exploration: ecological imperialism and the Columbian exchange - the Enlightenment and the rationalization of the environment - the Industrial Revolution, progress, and environmental change - the origins of nature conservation and environmental protection - the environment after World War II: the Age of Ecology, high modernism A field trip will also be included.
Teaching methods
Coursework consists mainly of attending lectures, participating in classroom discussions, and completing reading assignments.
Assessment methods
In order to successfully complete this course, students must pass a written exam with a grade of 60% or higher. In addition, they will have to write a paper on one of the subjects discussed in the course.
Language of instruction
English
Further Comments
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2017, Spring 2018, Spring 2019, Spring 2020.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2016, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2016/ENS288