AMSTERDAM: SCIENCES, GLOBAL HEALTH, AND INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES
AT VU AMSTERDAM
American Environmental Thought
ACM Amsterdam - VU Amsterdam Honours College
Title: American Environmental Thought
Fall 2017
Credits: 6
Instructor and course coordinator: Dr. Tim Tibbetts, Chair of Biology Department at Monmouth
College, Monmouth, Illinois, USA. [email protected]
Interdisciplinary Themes:
Citizenship and Environmentalism
Sentiments Toward Nature and Environmental Ethics
Environmental Economics
Food, Agriculture and the Environment
Energy and Materials Use
Population, Cities, Ethnicity and Psychology
Pollution and Toxins
Course description: American Environmental Thought
This course traces the rise of environmentalism in the United States, starting with Thoreau and
extending to Abbey and Steingraber. While international students may be well-versed in the roots of
environmentalism in their own countries, the situation in the United States points out idiosyncrasies of
history and culture. The focus turns to achieving environmental sustainability and the challenges this
presents.
Working formats and activities:
Class periods will involve lecture material on background for specific readings and topics, putting
them into historical, social, and scientific context. Lectures will be followed by discussion of the
assigned readings, with the discussion leader role being taken on by students once initial dynamics are
set. Reading questions, quizzes, and brief free-response papers will be used to generate discussion.
Relevance of the course:
The United States is behind many G8 industrialized nations in terms of its progress toward
sustainability and embracing environmentalism. Legislative progress has been made such as the
Environmental Protection Agency’s work on the Endangered Species Act and Clean Air and Water
Acts, based on clear scientific evidence. However, resistance remains as evidenced by the persistence
of climate change denial. Global progress toward sustainability relies on understanding the
environmental mindset of America.
Attainment targets/learning outcomes (“eindtermen”)
Students will critically examine the meanings of citizenship and environmentalism in the American
context.
Students will critically examine some of the economic, political, social and cultural influences on
American environmentalism.
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Practical Information: There will be considerable reading involved in this course!
Study materials:
American Earth: Environmental Writing Since Thoreau, Ed. B. McKibben, Library of America 2008.
ISBN 978-1598530209
Assessment:
Participation 40%, take-home essay exam 30%, in-class final essay exam 30%.
Participation will be broken down into two components: preparation and active involvement in
discussions (20%) and discussion leading (20%). Students will need to prepare by completing the
readings and answering prompt questions before the class period. During class period students are
expected to be present, attentive, and participate appropriately. Discussion leading will require
students to have completed the same participation preparations but in addition develop guiding
questions that explore how classmates connected to the material and clarify any confusion. Discussion
leaders should meet with the instructor prior to leading the discussion for help in preparing.
The essay exams will require the students to formulate evidence-based arguments, using information
from readings and discussions, to answer specific prompts.
Tentative Schedule. Class meeting time Tuesday evenings, 18:00 – 20:00
Topic 1: Sentiments Toward Nature and Environmental Ethics
September 5. Thoreau, Henry David. Excerpts from “Journals,” “Walden,” “Huckleberries,” pp. 236.
Muir, John. Excerpts from “A Thousand Mile Walk to the Gulf,” “A Wind-Storm in
the
Forests,” “My First Summer in the Sierra,” pp. 85-104.
September 12. Stratton-Porter, Gene. “The Last Passenger Pigeon,” pp. 192-204.
Walker, Alice. “Everything is a Human Being,” pp. 659-670.
Burroughs, John. “The Art of Seeing Things,” pp. 146-158.
September 19. Leopold, Aldo. Excerpts from “A Sand County Almanac,” pp. 265-294.
Devall, Bill. The Deep, Long-Range Ecology Movement: 1960-2000- A Review.
Ethics & the Environment 6 (1), 2001 pp. 18-41.
Topic 2: Environmental Economics
September 26. Durning, Alan. “Asking How Much is Enough,” Chapter 9, State of the World 1991,
Norton, 1991, pp. 153-169.
Kaplan, Jeffrey. “The Gospel of Consumption,” Orion, May/June 2008, pp. 38-47.
October 3.
Wachtel, Paul. “The Unperceived Realities of the Consumer Life,” The Poverty of
Affluence, New Society, 1989, Chapter 3, pp. 31-55.
Schumacher, E. F. “Peace and Permanence,” Chapter 2, Small is Beautiful, HarperCollins, 1973, pp. 23-41.
Schumacher, E. F. “Buddhist Economics,” Chapter 4, Small is Beautiful, HarperCollins, 1973, pp. 56-66.
Topic 3: Food, Agriculture, and the Environment
October 10.
Berry, Wendell. “The Death of the Rural Community,” The Ecologist, May/June
1999, pp. 183-185.
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Berry, Wendell. “The Prejudice Against Country People,” The Progressive, April
2002, pp. 21-24.
Berry, Wendell. “The Ecological Crisis as a Crisis of Character,” The Unsettling of
America, Sierra Club Books, 1977, pp. 17-26.
October 17.
Berry, Wendell. “The Ecological Crisis as a Crisis of Agriculture,” The Unsettling of
America, Sierra Club Books, 1977, pp. 27-38.
Berry, Wendell. “The Agricultural Crisis as a Crisis of Culture,” The Unsettling of
America, Sierra Club Books, 1977, pp. 39-50.
October 24.
Jackson, Wes. “Outside the Solar Village: One Utopian Farm,” pp. 595-608.
Pollan, Michael. Excerpt from “The Omnivore’s Dilemma,” pp. 948-960.
Jones, Dena. “Crimes Unseen,” Orion, July/August 2004, pp. 60-67.
October 31.
Schlosser, Eric. “Cogs in the Great Machine,” Fast Food Nation, Harper Perennial,
2005, pp. 148-166.
Schlosser, Eric. “The Most Dangerous Job,” Fast Food Nation, Harper Perennial,
2005, pp. 168-190.
Topic 4: Energy and Materials Use
November 7. Reece, Erik. “Moving Mountains,” Orion, Jan/Feb 2006, 11 pages.
Kunstler, James Howard. “Making Other Arrangements,” Orion, Jan/Feb 2007, 8
pages.
Lovins, Amory B. “Energy Strategy: The Road Not Taken?” pp. 559-569.
Topic 5: Population, Cities
November 14. Meloy, Ellen. “The Flora and Fauna of Las Vegas,” pp. 793-808.
Jacobs, Jane. Excerpt from “The Death of Life of Great American Cities,” pp. 359365.
Hardin, Garrett. Excerpt from “The Tragedy of the Commons,” pp. 438-450.
Topic 6: Pollution and Toxins
November 21. Marquis, Don. “what the ants are saying,” pp. 235-238.
Roueche, Berton. “The Fog,” pp. 295-312.
Carson, Rachel. Excerpt from “Silent Spring,” pp. 366-376.
Steingraber, Sandra. Excerpt from “Having Faith,” pp. 929-938.
Topic 7: The European Environmental Movement
November 28. Gillham, Patrick. “Participation in the Environmental Movement: Analysis of the
European Union,” International Sociology, 2008 23:67-93.
Clémençon, Raymond. “Sustainable Development, Climate Politics and EULeadership: A Historical-Comparative Analysis,” European Journal of Sustainable
Development 2016 5:125-144.
Solnit, Rebecca. “The Thoreau Problem,” pp. 971-974.
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