CCOG for ATH 207 archive revision 202404
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- Effective Term:
- Fall 2024
- Course Number:
- ATH 207
- Course Title:
- Environmental Anthropology
- Credit Hours:
- 4
- Lecture Hours:
- 40
- Lecture/Lab Hours:
- 0
- Lab Hours:
- 0
Course Description
Intended Outcomes for the course
Upon completion of the course students should be able to:
-
Analyze different forms of human and environment interactions in ancient, historical and contemporary societies from an anthropological perspective.
-
Apply anthropological concepts, theories and methods to the study of cultural adaptation, resilience, sustainability and cultural resource conservation or management in response to changing environmental conditions.
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Describe systems of power and social justice issues related to colonialism and its impact on the environment and economic values, practices and systems of different societies from a cross-cultural perspective.
-
Compare cultural values, norms and world views about humans, nature and the environment from an anthropological perspective.
Social Inquiry and Analysis
Students completing an associate degree at Portland Community College will be able to apply methods of inquiry and analysis to examine social contexts and the diversity of human thought and experience.
General education philosophy statement
Philosophy Statement
The content of this course complements material about cross cultural subsistence patterns, economic systems and ecology presented in introductory cultural anthropology classes at PCC. This course introduces students to the field of environmental anthropology. By taking this course, students will develop critical and analytical skills by examining different kinds of human-environment interactions in ancient, historical and contemporary societies from an anthropological perspective. The course also compares different kinds of cultural concepts values, norms and world views related to humans, nature and the environment. Students will also study systems of power and social justice issues related to colonialism and its impact on different societies and the environment. The class will also explore the economic values, practices and systems of foraging, herding and agricultural societies from a cross-cultural perspective. In addition, students will critically reflect on their own values, identity and experiences with nature and the environment. They will also develop a deeper cultural and environmental awareness by exploring issues such as climate change, water, land or other resource management or conservation problems or cultural resilience from a cross-cultural perspective.
Aspirational Goals
- Prepare students for upper division course work in environmental anthropology
- Increase cultural awareness and appreciation of other societies and their traditional environmental knowledge and practices
- Contribute to internationalization efforts across the curriculum
- Deepen environmental awareness and sense of individual or community responsibility
- Create CBL learning opportunities through collaboration with community partners such as local environmental agencies and cultural resource management firms.
Course Activities and Design
Course activities may include any or all of the following:
- c;lass discussions or exercises
- lectures
- speed culturing or other PCC events
- discussion forums
- participant-observation exercises
- community based learning activities
- guest speaker presentations
- ethnographic film viewing and analysis
Outcome Assessment Strategies
Assessment strategies may include any or all of the following:
- exams
- quizzes
- student presentations
- short papers
- term papers
- research projects
- community based learning exercises or projects
Course Content (Themes, Concepts, Issues and Skills)
Themes
- human and environmental interactions in ancient, historic and contemporary cultures
- ethnographic examples of cultural adaptation. resilience and sustainability
- cross cultural comparisons of traditional environmental knowledge and practices in foraging, herding, marine or agricultural societies
- water, plant, animal, land conservation and management in an era of climate change
- concepts, theories and methods of environmental anthropology
Issues:
- climate change
- colonialism
- environmental destruction
- cultural resilience
- cultural adaptation to changing environmental conditions
- water, animal, plant, fish and land conservation and management
Concepts:
- cultural adaptation
- cultural relativism
- ethnocentrism
- cultural ecology
- cultural resilience
- environmental conservation
- cultural resource management
Skills:
- read and write at the college level