SAKS018 Decolonization in North America: Environmental Racism, Politics of Consumption and Artivism

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2024
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 6 credit(s). Type of Completion: zk (examination).
Taught in person.
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Denisa Krásná, BA (Hons), Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Denisa Krásná, BA (Hons), Ph.D.
Department of English and American Studies – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Tomáš Hanzálek
Supplier department: Department of English and American Studies – Faculty of Arts
Timetable
Thu 16:00–17:40 G33, except Thu 18. 4.
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 25 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 12/25, only registered: 1/25, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/25
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
This interdisciplinary course examines the complex challenges of decolonization across diverse geographical areas, including Hawaii, Mexico, the Mexico-US border, mainland US, and Canada. Delving into topics such as environmental racism, gender violence, politics of consumption, and artivism, the course explores specific issues and decolonial movements in each region, such as femicides and the Zapatista revolution in Mexico, the ongoing invasion of the Hawaiian islands and the struggle for Hawaiian sovereignty, the exploitation of women in maquiladoras and the criminalization of the US-Mexico border, changing urban dynamics in the US, including gentrification, fentanyl epidemic, and food injustice, or the link between the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women crisis and extractivism in Canada. Other topics covered include issues of access to the “Great White Outdoors”, animal colonialism, discrimination of refugees and immigrants, and the connection between violence against nonhuman animals and minoritized peoples. Special attention is paid to the so-called artivism (art+activism) to showcase how decolonial movements employ creative resistance. The course is framed by various critical lenses, including Indigenous studies, decolonial studies, ecofeminism, anarcha-Indigenism, critical animal studies, critical plant studies, and food studies, offering students a comprehensive understanding of the multifaceted dimensions of decolonization in North America.
Learning outcomes
After completing the course, a student will be able to:
- understand the interconnectedness of environmental, social, and cultural issues, fostering a comprehensive view of decolonization in North America
- evaluate the root causes of environmental injustice, specifically related to food, water, tourism, and extraction, and analyze how these issues disproportionately affect marginalized communities
- apply intersectional analysis to gender violence, recognizing the complex relationships between violence against women, nonhuman animals, and the exploitation of the environment
- critically examine consumption practices, both literal and ideological, by delving into food studies, vegan studies, and the broader implications of consumerism, and analyze their impact on societies and ecosystems.
- utilize artistic expression as a tool for advocacy and social change, drawing from the study of artworks, murals, films, and books to effectively communicate messages related to decolonization
- conduct in-depth analyses of decolonization issues in specific geopolitical areas of North America, understanding the unique challenges and solutions within each context
- apply theoretical frameworks, including Indigenous studies, decolonial studies, critical animal studies, critical plant studies, ecofeminism, Indigenous feminism, anarcha-Indigenism, border studies, food studies, and vegan studies, to analyze and deconstruct complex social and environmental phenomena
- engage in critical discussions on marginalization, (de)colonization, and systemic violence, demonstrating the ability to articulate informed perspectives, challenge assumptions, and contribute meaningfully to conversations surrounding environmental justice and social change
- demonstrate interdisciplinary competence by integrating knowledge from various fields to address multifaceted challenges, fostering a holistic understanding of systemic (in)justice and its implications for marginalized communities.
- propose informed and practical pathways for fostering a more just and sustainable future
Syllabus
  • Week 1: Introduction: Decolonization and Artivism
  • Week 2: Zapatistas (Mexico)
  • Week 3: Environmental Racism in Chiapas (Mexico)
  • Week 4: Ni Una Más, Ni Una Menos (US-Mexico border)
  • Week 5: "Invasion" (US-Mexico border)
  • Week 6: Rape of Hawaii
  • Week 7: US Territories and Guantánamo
  • Week 8: Urban Rez (US and Canada)
  • Week 9: Reading Week
  • Week 10: Gender Colonial Violence
  • Week 11: Nonhuman Animals as Colonial Objects
  • Week 12: Politics of Consumption
  • Week 13: Access to the Outdoors
  • Week 14: Apocalypse and Ecocide in Indigenous Literatures
Literature
    recommended literature
  • Like an animal : critical animal studies approaches to borders, displacement, and othering. Edited by Natalie Khazaal - Núria Almiron. Leiden: Brill, 2021, xiv, 417. ISBN 9789004439085. info
  • SUSAN, Lobo. Native American Voices: A Reader. 3rd ed. Abingdon: Routledge,, 2016. info
  • DOBSON, Kit and Áine MCGLYNN. Transnationalism, Activism, Art. Toronto: University of Toronto, 2013. info
Teaching methods
Readings, lectures, discussions, presentations
Assessment methods
Reflections (30%): Reflections on readings (4x per semester, 3 best results count)
Presentation (20%): Presentation on a selected artivist work (5-10 mins)
Oral task: (10%): Introduction of a topic from a selected podcast episode (Rosanna Deerchild – Unreserved)
Midterm Quiz (20%): Assessment of understanding of course material up to the mid-semester point.
Final Quiz (20%): In-class quiz covering the entire semester's content.
Make-up essay: if you want a better mark, you can write a 10-page-long research paper
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is taught annually.
Teacher's information
See the course ELF page for posted assignments and other materials and updates.
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2025.
  • Enrolment Statistics (recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2024/SAKS018