Environmental Studies & English 4120 -- Spring 2025
Cultural Studies and Climate Change
2024 was not simply the hottest year in recorded history but likely the hottest year of the last 125,000 years, perhaps of the last several million years. Far earlier than predicted we are passing the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement target of 1.5 C. What's coming at us?
Now is a time of dire emergency for the Earth, a time when drastic and dramatic measures must be taken so that our planet remains liveable, yet President Trump has called climate change a “hoax,” and has announced a “drill, baby, drill” approach to fossil fuel expansion with potentially devastating consequences.
This course brings together science, social science, and the power of the imagination to understand the global impact, history, politics, and ethics of the climate crisis. The approach emphasizes the relatedness of all human and natural communities and a commmitment to doing everything we can to preserve a habitable earth.
Course Success
As a senior-level course crosslisted in both English and Environmental Studies, this class involves extensive reading. Students are expected to purchase paper copies of the books, always carefully do the reading, bring books to class, and come prepared to contribute.
The class is will be in seminar format, discussion-based, and attendance and preparation are essential to your own learning and to the learning of your classmates. Your class participation grade is based on how well you have done the reading and prepared for class; I will ensure that your voice is heard and everyone participates!
Missing any classes will affect your learning. Missing 3 classes or more will lower your grade and missing 5 classes may lead to failing. Study my philosophy regarding discussion, preparation, participation, attendance, grading, and learning!
As you work on your blog posts you will be paying close attention to current events regarding themes of the course.
Students in this course are expected to participate in the diverse activities of the WMU Climate Emergency: Spring Into Action 2024; as described below regularly attending events will be part of the course grade.
The course is intended to develop a your thinking about the climate crisis, share ideas, and start making a difference. Thus writing for this course will be in a public voice and published online or shared beyond the class. This semester we will experiment with ChatGPT and other AI programs as a regular part of course assignnments.
Your final course grade will be an average of grades for the major assignments, listed and weighted below.
WMU Climate Change Syllabus Statement:
Climate change is a serious social problem, and examination of the climate disruptions due to global warming may evoke a strong emotional response. Some who come to understand the dire consequences of the climate crisis may experience what has been called 'climate grief' or 'climate anxiety.' To seek counseling, become informed about ways to deal with climate anxiety, or to get involved with others who are as concerned about the climate crisis, view the resources listed on the WMU Climate Change Working Group website.
My office is 723 Sprau Tower, 387-2605. Office hours are before class and by appointment. You can always reach me via email.
Vaillant, John. Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World (2023)
Vince, Gaia. Nomad Century: How Climate Migration Will Reshape Our World (2022).
Robinson, Kim Stanley. The Ministry of the Future (2020).
Guenther, Genevieve. The Language of Climate Politics: Fossil Fuel Propaganda and How to Fight It (2024)
James, Lauren. Green Rising (2021).
Nakate, Vanessa. A Bigger Picture: My Fight to Bring a New African Voice to the Climate Crisis (2021).
Malm, Andreas. How to Blow Up a Pipeline (2021).Additional reading and viewing linked to this syllabus and/or provided by the professor. (Though the links above go to Amazon, these book have also been ordered for the WMU Student bookstore, and can be found at libraries and independent bookstores.)
Major Assignments
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Class Participation (40%) Climate Crisis Blog 2025 Posts (at least 7) (40%) Final Exam (20%) Optional: Saving the World Strategy Paper (Due: Mar 11) Optional: Help organize 2025 Green Week and Earth Day |
Electronic Syllabus
Tues Jan 7: Introductions
Thur Jan 9: Our Climate Present
Tues Jan 14: 21st Century Fire1. Read carefully through the entire on-line syllabus. Bring any questions about the syllabus and assignments to class.
2. Write and post your first blog on Climate Crisis 2025 before midnight Wednesday Jan 10.
3. Before Class: Read and respond to at least 10 blog posts.
1. Read: Fire Weather, Chapters 1-9.
Thurs Jan 16: 21st Century Fire
1. Read: Fire Weather, Chapters 10-16.
Mon Jan 20: MLK Day
Attend MLK Day Events.
Tues Jan 21: 21st Century Fire
1. Read: Fire Weather, Chapters 17-22.
2. Gold Team Blogs published by midnight Sunday.
3. Respond to at least 10 blogs before class.
Thurs Jan 23:21st Century Fire
1. Read: Finish Fire Weather.
Tues Jan 28: Read AI Cli-Fi Short Stories
1. Read: "How Close to the Savage Soul," "Into the Storm," "Hermie," "LOSD and Font."
2. Brown Team Blogs published by midnight Sunday,
3. Respond to at least 10 blogs before class.
Thurs Jan 30: Climate Migration
1. Read: From Nomad Century Introduction & Chapters 1 & 2.
Tues Feb 4: Climate Migration
1. Read: From Nomad Century Chapters 3, 4, 5 & 6.
2. Gold Team Blogs published by midnight Sunday.
3. Respond to at least 10 blogs before class.
Thurs Feb 6: Climate Migration
1. Read: From Nomad Century Chapters 7, 8 & 9.
Tues Feb 11: Climate Migration
1. Read: Finish Nomad Century including Conclusion & Manifesto.
2. Brown Team Blogs published by midnight Sunday.
3. Respond to at least 10 blogs before class.
Thurs Feb 13: Saving the Future
1. Read: The Ministry for the Future Chapters 1-15.
Tues Feb 18: Saving the Future
1. Read: From The Ministry for the Future Chapters 16-42.
2. Gold Team Blogs published by midnight Sunday.
3. Respond to at least 10 blogs before class.
Thurs Feb 20: Saving the Future
1. Read: The Ministry for the Future Chapters 43-53
Tues Feb 25: Saving the Future
1. Read: The Ministry for the Future Chapters 55-80.
2. Brown Team Blogs published by midnight Sunday.
3. Respond to at least 10 blogs before class.
Thurs Feb 27: Saving the Future
1. Read: Finish The Ministry for the Future Chapters 81-end.
Mar 3-7: Spring Break
Tues Mar 11:Fossil Fuel Propaganda
1. Read: The Language of Climate Politics Preface, Intro, & Chapters 1 & 2.
2. Gold Team Blogs published by midnight Sunday.
3. Respond to at least 10 blogs before class.
4. Optional: Due: Stategies for Saving the Future Paper.
Thurs Mar 13: Fossil Fuel Propaganda
1. Read: The Language of Climate Politics Chapter 3.
2. Look at: Stategies for Saving the Future Paper.
Tues Mar 18: Fossil Fuel Propaganda
1. Read: The Language of Climate Politics Chapters 4 & 5.
2. Brown Team Blogs published by midnight Sunday.
3. Respond to at least 10 blogs before class.
Thurs Mar 20: Fossil Fuel Propaganda
1. Read: The Language of Climate Politics Chapter 6 and After Words.
Tues Mar 25: Changing the World
1. Read: Green Rising Prologue & Chapters 1-11.
2. Watch Greta's Ted Talk.
3. Read: Fridays for Future.
4. Gold Team Blogs published by midnight Sunday.
5. Respond to at least 10 blogs before class.
Thurs Mar 27: Changing the World
1. Read: Green Rising Chapters 12-17.
Tues Apr 1: Changing the World
1. Read: Finish Green Rising Chapters 18-33 & Author's Note.
2. Brown Team Blogs published by midnight Sunday.
3. Respond to at least 10 blogs before class.
Thurs Apr 3: Joining the Youth Climate Movement
1. Read: A Bigger Picture Introduction and Chapters 1-3.
Tues Apr 8: Joining the Youth Climate Movement
1. Read: A Bigger Picture, Chapters 4-8.
2. Gold Team Blogs Published by midnight Sunday.
3. Respond to at least 10 blogs before class.
Thurs Apr 10: Joining the Youth Climate Movement
1. Read: Finish A Bigger Picture, Chapters 9-10, Acknowledgements & Appendices 1 & 2.
Tues Apr 15: Violence Against Property?
1. Read: How to Blow Up a Pipeline,Preface & Chapters 1 & 2.
2. Optional: How to Blow Up a Pipeline (Movie).
3. Brown Team Blogs Published by midnight Sunday.
4. Respond to at least 10 blogs before class.
Thurs Apr 17: Violence Against Property?
1. Read: How to Blow Up a Pipeline. Chapter 3.
Apr 21-24 Finals Week
Thurs Apr 24 2:45-4:45: Final Exam