SHUM 4625 - [Deranged Authority: The Force of Culture in Climate Change]

Fall. Next offered 2018-2019. 4 credits. Student option grading.

Enrollment limited to: 15 students. Intended for advanced undergraduates and graduate students.

J. Carlson.

How does climate denialism persist in the face of mounting evidence that global warming is real? Conversely, how do environmentalists come to believe specific actions are necessary to save the world? How can climate justice efforts include local forms of knowledge and expertise? As humans struggle to conceive of new ways to live—and create change—in a time of “derangement,” this seminar explores how forms of environmental in/action become authoritative in different social contexts. Here classical and critical theories of authority illuminate how environmental knowledge attains power in some settings but not others; additionally, ethnographies of ecoauthority reveal forms of resiliency that diverge from conventional models of climate remediation. Participants will write short discussion papers, co-lead one class meeting, and submit a final essay.

For longer description and instructor bio please visit http://societyhumanities.as.cornell.edu/courses.