HIST 7223 Syllabus

HIST 7223 GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORY
R.S. Deese
Northeastern University
Spring 2010
rsdeese@gmail.com
Office Hours: Wednesdays, 8-9 am

Course Description

This Graduate Seminar is designed for students committed to studying the broad sweep of global history from an environmental perspective. This course will focus on the dynamic relationship between human communities, civilizations, and the earth itself. The subjects we will address, such as the history of climate change, agriculture, industrialization, globalization, and the evolution of new energy technologies, will be explored in an environmental context that cuts across both national boundaries and broad historical time periods from ancient times to the present.
Attendance at all class meetings is mandatory. Unless you have a documented medical or family emergency, you need to come to every class.
Required Course Materials
*Brand, Stewart. Whole Earth Discipline (Atlantic Books, 2010) 

Burke, Edmund, and Kenneth Pomeranz, eds. The Environment and World 
History (California: 2009)

*Carson, Rachel. Silent Spring (1962; new edition Houghton Mifflin, 2002)

*Guha, Ramachandra. How Much Should a Person Consume? (California: 2006) 

*Maathai, Wangari. The Challenge for Africa (Pantheon, 2009) 

McNeill, J.R. Something New Under the Sun (WW Norton, 2001) 

Radkau, Jaochim. Nature and Power (Cambridge, 2008) 

*Simmons, I.G. Global Environmental History (U. of Chicago Press, 2008) 

*Worster, Donald. Nature's Economy (Cambridge, 1994) 

*Weart, Spencer. The Discovery of Global Warming (Harvard, 2008)

Basic Ground Rules

1. Turn off all cell phones, MP3 players, etc. before all class meetings begin.

2. Always come on time to all class meetings, and participate in all discussions. Please don’t be shy about speaking up in class discussions, and don’t be afraid to ask questions. Virtually all original scholarship begins by posing questions that others have overlooked or dismissed as simply not worth asking; therefore, the very question you might be afraid to ask because it seems naïve or unorthodox could well be the most interesting and groundbreaking question that anyone could raise. Don’t hesitate to ask it. Also, please remember that I am more than happy to field your questions and address your concerns via email, telephone, and during my regular office hours.

3. Always come to class prepared to discuss all readings for that week. When you do the assigned reading each week, be sure to underline passages that you see as important, and write down questions that you would like to raise in our section meetings and in my office hours.

Grade Breakdown

Presentation 20%
Short Papers and Participation 35%
Final Paper 45%

Papers
For this course you will be required to write seven very short (approx. 750 words) Critical Response Papers---one on each of the titles marked with an asterisk (*) above. The Critical Response Papers will be collected at the start of class each week from January 25th through the end of March. The Historiography Paper (2500-3000 words) will be due on April 12th, and the schedule of the presentations will be determined during the first week of class. Late papers will be penalized 5% each day past the due date.
Presentation
You will also be required to give a 10-15 minute presentation on a topic of your choosing, involving one title from the course syllabus and two titles from off the list. This presentation will form the basis of your Historiography Paper, which will examine the same three titles explored in your oral presentation.

Regulations Against Plagiarism
Needless to say, the work you present must be entirely your own and all sources must be diligently credited in your footnotes and bibliography. Any attempt at plagiarism, representing the work of another person as your own, will be result in failure in this course and severe disciplinary action by Northeastern University.

IMPORTANT: Please read the Academic Conduct Code to understand policy of Northeastern University regarding plagiarism. The punishment for any form of plagiarism at this institution is, as it should be, very severe. As you are writing your term papers, please don’t hesitate to contact me beforehand if you have any questions concerning the proper citation of source materials.
HIST 7223 GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL HISTORY Prof Deese
Spring 2010


January 11 Introduction

January 18 No class, Holiday

January 22 Friday class, make-up day
Worster, Donald. Nature's Economy (Cambridge, 1994) 

January 25 Worster Critique Due
Carson, Rachel. Silent Spring (1962; new edition Houghton Mifflin, 2002)

February 1 Carson Critique Due
McNeill, J.R. Something New Under the Sun (WW Norton, 2001) 

February 8 Film TBA

February 15 No class, Holiday (no make-up)

February 22 Weart Critique Due
Weart, Spencer. The Discovery of Global Warming (Harvard, 2008)

March 3 No class, Spring Break

March 8 Simmons Critique Due
Simmons, I.G. Global Environmental History (U. of Chicago Press, 2008) 

March 15 Guha Critique Due
Guha, Ramachandra. How Much Should a Person Consume? (California: 2006) 

March 22 Brand Critique Due
Brand, Stewart. Whole Earth Discipline (Atlantic Books, 2010) 

March 29 Maathai Critique Due
Maathai, Wangari. The Challenge for Africa (Pantheon, 2009) 

April 5 Burke, Edmund, and Kenneth Pomeranz, eds. The Environment and World History (California: 2009)

April 12 Historiography Paper Due
Radkau, Jaochim. Nature and Power (Cambridge, 2008) 

April 19 No class, Holiday (no make-up)