Environmental Policy and Culture
The Environmental Policy and Culture Program offers students an interdisciplinary approach to environmental studies, focusing on the social sciences and humanities. Environmental issues and conflicts are among the most important concerns of the 21st century. The adjunct major and minor in Environmental Policy and Culture provide opportunities to engage in scholarly inquiry about managing the natural environment. Courses address issues such as global climate change, efforts to maintain and restore biodiversity, and the reconciliation of development with environmental protection. Courses that fulfill EPC requirements include both those offered by EPC (identified as ENVR_POL) and courses from different departments and programs. Environmental Policy and Culture students take at least 1 relevant course in the natural sciences but the emphasis is on courses in the humanities and social sciences.
ENVR_POL 101-7 College Seminar (1 Unit) Small, writing and discussion-oriented course exploring a specific topic or theme, and introducing skills necessary to thriving at Northwestern. Not eligible to be applied towards a WCAS major or minor except where specifically indicated.
ENVR_POL 101-8 First-Year Writing Seminar (1 Unit) Small, writing and discussion-oriented course exploring a specific topic or theme, and focused on the fundamentals of effective, college-level written communication. Not eligible to be applied towards a WCAS major or minor except where specifically indicated.
ENVR_POL 211-0 Food and Society: An Introduction (1 Unit) Overview of past and present food systems from a sociological perspective, examining the roles of culture, government policy, and social movements in shaping such systems and future alternatives. ENVR_POL 211-0 and SOCIOL 211-0 are taught together; may not receive credit for both courses. Social Behavioral Sciences Distro Area Social and Behavioral Science Foundational Discipl
ENVR_POL 212-0 Environment and Society (1 Unit) Key environmental problems, such as climate change and oil spills; how they are shaped by the market, government regulations, and social movements; possible solutions. SOCIOL 212-0 and ENVR_POL 212-0 are taught together; may not receive credit for both courses. Social Behavioral Sciences Distro Area Social and Behavioral Science Foundational Discipl U.S. Perspectives on Power, Justice, and Equity
ENVR_POL 251-0 The Politics of Disaster: A Global Environmental History (1 Unit) A global survey of natural disasters over the last several centuries. Key themes include: inequality, social vulnerability, environmental racism, historical memory and forgetting, and preventability. Using disaster history to better understand and meet the present and future challenges of global climate change. HISTORY 251-0 and ENVR_POL 251-0 are taught together; students may not receive credit for both. Global Perspectives on Power, Justice, and Equity Historical Studies Foundational Discipline Social and Behavioral Science Foundational Discipl
ENVR_POL 309-0 American Environmental History (1 Unit) American history from precontact to the present, focusing on the role of the natural world in human history and the role of human thought and action in natural history. ENVR_POL 309-0 and HISTORY 309-0 are taught together; may not receive credit for both courses. Advanced Expression Historical Studies Distro Area Historical Studies Foundational Discipline U.S. Perspectives on Power, Justice, and Equity
ENVR_POL 311-0 Food, Politics and Society (1 Unit) Social groups, institutions, and policies shaping food production, distribution, and consumption around the world; their social and environmental consequences. Alternatives to existing food systems. SOCIOL 311-0 and ENVR_POL 311-0 are taught together; may not receive credit for both courses. Social Behavioral Sciences Distro Area
ENVR_POL 336-0 The Climate Crisis, Policies, and Society (1 Unit) Examination of main impacts of climate change and of different perspectives toward mitigation and adaptation: market-based, institutionalist, bio-environmentalist, social movement, and climate justice. SOCIOL 336-0 and ENVR_POL 336-0 are taught together; may not receive credit for both courses. Social Behavioral Sciences Distro Area
ENVR_POL 337-0 Hazard, Disaster and Society (1 Unit) This course examines how socioeconomic and environmental factors work together to cause hazards and disasters in human society. In this course, we learn the main concepts about disasters, such as preparedness, vulnerability, resilience, response, mitigation, etc. We learn that a disaster does not have the same effect on everyone, and factors of social inequality such as race, ethnicity, class, and gender make people more vulnerable to the impacts of disasters. ENVR_POL 337-0 and GBL_HLTH 337-0 are taught together; students may not receive credit for both. Global Perspectives on Power, Justice, and Equity Social Behavioral Sciences Distro Area Social and Behavioral Science Foundational Discipl
ENVR_POL 338-0 Environmental Justice (1 Unit) This course examines how environmental problems reflect and exacerbate social inequality. In this course, we learn the definition of environmental (in)justice, the history of environmental justice and discuss examples of environmental justice. We will learn about environmental movements and local resistance to protect natural resources. ENVR_POL 338-0 and GBL_HLTH 338-0 are taught together; students may not receive credit for both. Global Perspectives on Power, Justice, and Equity Social Behavioral Sciences Distro Area Social and Behavioral Science Foundational Discipl
ENVR_POL 339-0 Silent but Loud: Negotiating Health in a Cultural, Food, Poverty, Environ. Caste (1 Unit) This course will explore (un)health as a language is connected to certain bodies. Students will analyze the origins of bio-measurements used to justify "Othering" (not fitting within the norms of a dominant social group) and learn to formulate counternarratives to dominant ideological language that silently forms stereotypes, controlling images, hypervisibility, and invisibility that echo loudly as contributing to health inequities. GBL_HLTH 339-0 and ENVR_POL 339-0 are taught together; may not receive credit for both. Social Behavioral Sciences Distro Area Social and Behavioral Science Foundational Discipl U.S. Perspectives on Power, Justice, and Equity
ENVR_POL 340-0 Global Environments and World History (1 Unit) The planet’s life support systems are at risk. This introductory course explores the recent histories of big environmental problems around the world, including industrialization, toxic contaminants, climate change, extractive economies, intercontinental warfare, and energy regimes. ENVR_POL 340-0 and HISTORY 376-0 are taught together; may not receive credit for both courses. Advanced Expression Global Perspectives on Power, Justice, and Equity Historical Studies Distro Area Historical Studies Foundational Discipline Social Behavioral Sciences Distro Area Social and Behavioral Science Foundational Discipl
ENVR_POL 360-0 Animal Law (1 Unit) Survey of laws, regulations, and cultural norms regarding nonhuman animals and animal ownership in the United States. History of animal protection movement, wildlife regulation, hunting and fishing rights, livestock care and slaughter, animal experimentation, anti-cruelty legislation, and companion animal law. ENVR_POL 360-0 and LEGAL_ST 360-0 are taught together; may not receive credit for both courses. Prerequisite: LEGAL_ST 206-0 or POLI_SCI 230-0, or instructor approval. Social Behavioral Sciences Distro Area Social and Behavioral Science Foundational Discipl
ENVR_POL 383-0 Environmental Anthropology (1 Unit)
How humans have changed and are changing the environment and what can be done to halt environmental deterioration. Topics include population trends, food supplies, consumerism, environmental regulation, and ecological consciousness.
Global Perspectives on Power, Justice, and Equity Social Behavioral Sciences Distro Area Social and Behavioral Science Foundational DisciplENVR_POL 384-0 Political Ecology (1 Unit)
Introduction to a multidisciplinary body of theory and research that analyzes the environmental articulations of political, economic, and social difference and inequality. Topics include environmental scarcity and degradation, sustainability, resilience and conservation. ANTHRO 382-0 and ENVR_POL 384-0 taught together, may not receive credit for both.
Social Behavioral Sciences Distro Area Social and Behavioral Science Foundational Discipl U.S. Perspectives on Power, Justice, and EquityENVR_POL 385-0 Archaeologies of Sustainability and Collapse (1 Unit)
Archaeological survey of case studies from the past to interrogate human-environment relationships across time and space, including the present and the future. ANTHRO 326-0 and ENVR_POL 385-0 taught together, may not receive credit for both.
Global Perspectives on Power, Justice, and Equity Social Behavioral Sciences Distro Area Social and Behavioral Science Foundational DisciplENVR_POL 390-0 Special Topics in Environmental Policy and Culture (1 Unit)
Lecture course on environmental issues of current interest to students and faculty. May be repeated for credit with different topic.
ENVR_POL 395-0 Special Topics Seminar (1 Unit)
Seminar on current environmental issues and problems. Topics vary. May be repeated for credit with different topic.
ENVR_POL 399-0 Independent Study (1 Unit) Independent project in student's area of interest. Readings and conferences. Comprehensive term paper required. Prerequisite: consent of program director.