Variable Tpcs:

SAME AS RELST-UA 620.

THE POOR, INDIGENOUS GROUPS, AND PEOPLE OF COLOR HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN EXPOSED TO A DISPROPORTIONATE SHARE OF ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS. IN THIS COURSE, WE WILL TRACE THE ORIGINS OF THE UNEVEN DISTRIBUTION OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS ACROSS COMMUNITIES, EXAMINE WAYS TO MEASURE ENVIRONMENTAL INEQUALITY, AND ANALYZE HOW ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS—BOTH MANMADE AND NATURAL—REFLECT AND EXACERBATE SOCIAL INEQUALITY. WE WILL ALSO SURVEY THE HISTORICAL EMERGENCE OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE MOVEMENT, LED LARGELY BY IMPOVERISHED URBAN NONWHITES WHO FELT EXCLUDED BY MAINSTREAM ENVIRONMENTALISM, AND EXPLORE COMPETING POLITICAL AND MORAL VISIONS FOR ACHIEVING EQUAL PROTECTION FROM ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARDS FOR ALL PEOPLE. THE READINGS, WHICH INCLUDE BOTH BOOKS AND ACADEMIC JOURNAL ARTICLES, SPAN THE FIELDS OF SOCIOLOGY, ANTHROPOLOGY, PHILOSOPHY, HISTORY, AND POLITICS [NOTE THAT YOU ARE EXPECTED TO READ 80-100 PAGES PER WEEK]. WHILE MOST OF THE MATERIAL CENTERS ON THE AMERICAN CONTEXT, WE WILL ALSO EXAMINE THE GLOBAL DIMENSIONS OF ENVIRONMENTAL INEQUALITY.

Offered every year. 4 points.