Analysis of LIT 290/ ENVIRON 190: Global Ecological Humanities

Professor: Dr. Amanda Gould

Semester: Spring 2017

Coursework:
Weekly readings include literature, comics, short stories, and novels about humans and
their affect on the environment
o Literature included:
Oil on Water, Helon Habila (required)
Keywords for Environmental Studies, eds. Joni Adamson, William A.
Gleason, and David N. Pellow
Stonefish, Keri Hulme
Rime of the Modern Mariner, Nick Hayes
Love in the Anthropocene, Dale Jamieson and Bonnie Nadzam
Fifty Degrees Below, Kim Stanley Robinson
Carbon Diaries, Saci Lloyd
Weekly blog posts analyze, interpret, and respond to readings and class discussions in a
creative way.
Final project is a culmination of all of the discussions, research, and readings over the
course of the semester.
o I chose to do my project on how to communicate science in a culturally relevant
way.

Benefits:
This course allowed me to investigate how the humanities looks at scientific issues and
how many different cultures have recorded and interpreted environmental issues.
Class discussions pushed me to reconsider some of my own outlooks on climate change
and how we are affecting our environment in a negative way.
o Gave me more of a global perspective on environmental issues.
Final project gave me the opportunity to work on lesson plans in which combat
stereotypes and support all students to go into science.
o Analyzed research on culturally relevant science and how it enhances students
understanding of scientific concepts.
o Addressed how certain groups of students and people are underrepresented in the
sciences.
o Constructed lesson plans and project ideas in which implement science in a way
that is relevant to all students.