School of Environment, Geography, and Sustainability
& Department of English 4120
Spring 2025
Cultural Studies and Climate Change
2025 was not simply the hottest year in recorded history but, along with 2023 and 2024, one of the hottest years of the last 125,000 years. Each of the last three years have also set new records for human greenhouse gas emissions. Far earlier than predicted these last three years have reached the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement target of 1.5 C, beyond which extremely dangerous positive feedback loops and tipping points may push global warming beyond human control.
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 the Trump Administration is devastating national and global climate action and massively increasing the burning of fossil fuels.
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, the importance of climate justice, 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 the School of the Environment, Geography, and Sustainability, 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 not only to your own learning but also 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 invite every one to be heard and participating!
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!
Students in this course are expected to keep up with current events regarding the course theme. The best newspaper for climate news is the The Guardian, available for free on line. Also take advantage of the WMU library making the NY Times available to students for free.
The course is intended to develop a your thinking about the climate crisis, share ideas, and start making a difference. The interesting and unusual writing assignments for this course will often be in a public voice and published online or shared beyond the class. This semester we will examine the climate implications of the rapid growth of artificial intelligence (AI) and possibly work with AI programs in some course assignnments. (Any use of AI must include a description of how it was used.) There may be opportunities for students in this class to participate in diverse activities on campus or in the local area addressing the climate crisis.
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.
The WMU Student Success Hub has many resources to support students including counseling resources.
At WMU, one out of every ten students was born in another country. More than 94 countries are represented on the WMU campus. Wherever you or your family are from, WMU affirms that you are welcome here. I am committed to doing everything I can to ensure that every student, regardless of immigration status, is safe in this classroom. I will not create or maintain records that could be used by federal agencies to implicate members of our community as undocumented. I will not allow ICE or other groups into the classroom without an official signed judicial warrant and consult with campus safety. WMU provides links to Know Your Rights and legal support. The Michigan Immigrant Rights Coalition also offers a preparation guide in many languages to individuals and families who may face threats of arrest, detention, and deportation.
My office is 723 Sprau Tower. Office hours are before class and by appointment. You can always reach me via email.
Lynas, Mark. Our Final Warning (2020).
Robinson, Kim Stanley. The Ministry of the Future (2020).
Vince, Gaia. Nomad Century: How Climate Migration Will Reshape Our World (2022).
Guenther, Genevieve. The Language of Climate Politics: Fossil Fuel Propaganda and How to Fight It (2024)
Nakate, Vanessa. A Bigger Picture: My Fight to Bring a New African Voice to the Climate Crisis (2021).
McKibben, Bill. Here Comes the Sun (2025).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, independent bookstores, and online from other sites such as Better World Books.)
Major Assignments
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Class Participation (20%) Climate Change Short Story (AI assisted?) (Due: Feb 4) (15%) Saving the World Strategy Paper (Due: Feb 24) (15%) Climate Migration Public Document (Due: Mar 17) (15%) Blog Post on Climate Politics (Due: Mar 31) (10%) Flash Memoir (Due: Apr 14) (10%) Final Exam (15%) Participation in WMU or community climate action event or activity. (Extra Credit) |
Electronic Syllabus
Tues Jan 13: Introductions
Join the 4120 Spring 26 GroupMe and sign up for the NY Times.
Thur Jan 15: Our Climate Present
1. Read carefully through the entire on-line syllabus. Bring any questions about the syllabus and assignments to class.
2. Read: Our Final Warning: Foreward & One Degree.
3. Read: Recent News on Global Climate Agreement.
Mon Jan 19: MLK Day
Attend MLK Day Events.
Tues Jan 20: Our Climate Future?
3. Read: Our Final Warning: Two Degrees, Three Degrees, & Four Degrees.
Thurs Jan 22: Our Climate Future?
1. Read: Our Final Warning: Five Degress, & Six Degrees
Tues Jan 27: Our Climate Future? and Cli-Fi Short Stories
1. Read: Finish Our Final Warning: The Endgame
2. Read: "How Close to the Savage Soul"
3. Examine: Climate Change Short Story Assignment
Thurs Jan 29:Cli-Fi Short Stories
1. Read: from Everything Change (2016): "Grandchild Paradox," "Into the Storm," "Hermie," "LOSD and Font," and "Dusk."
Tues Feb 3: AI and Climate Story Workshop
1. Read: How Big a Threat is AI to the Climate, Energy Effects, Deep Seek: Cheap, Powerful, Chinese AI
2. Work on Climate Change Short Story. Bring starts and drafts of climate stories and images to class. By midnight Wednesday submit to professor.
Thurs Feb 5: Present Climate Short Story
Tues Feb 10: Saving the Future
1. Read: The Ministry for the Future Chapters 1-31 (126 pages).
Thurs Feb 12: Saving the Future
1. Read: From The Ministry for the Future Chapters 32-44. (Key chapters: 33, 35, 37, 39, 40, 41, 42.)
2. Examine the Saving the Future paper assignment. Start thinking about what strategy you might want to write about. Many strategies are still to be described so keep an open mind.
Tues Feb 17: Saving the Future
1. Read: The Ministry for the Future Chapters 45-69 (Key chapters 47, 48, 51, 54, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 67, 69.)
Thurs Feb 19: Saving the Future
1. Read: The Ministry for the Future Chapters 70-88 (Key chapters 72, 75, 76, 78, 80, 82, 84 (first 4 pages), 87.)
Tues Feb 24: Saving the Future
1. Read: Finish The Ministry for the Future (Key chapters 91, 92, 94, 97, 103).
2. Due: Stategies for Saving the Future Paper.
3. Prepare about 3 Google slides to present your paper and what you learned to the class.
Thurs Feb 26: Climate Migration
1. Read: From Nomad Century Introduction & Chapters 1 & 2.
2. Review: Climate Migration Document assignment due at end of unit.
Tues Mar 3: Climate Migration
1. Read: From Nomad Century Chapters 3, 4, 5 & 6.
Thurs Mar 5: Climate Migration
1. Read: From Nomad Century Chapters 7, 8 & 9.
2. Review Climate Migration Document
Mar 9-13: Spring Break
Tues Mar 17: Climate Migration
1. Read: Finish Nomad Century including Conclusion & Manifesto.
2. Due: Climate Migration Document
Thurs Mar 19: Fossil Fuel Propaganda
1. Read: The Language of Climate Politics Preface, Introduction, & Chapter 1.
Tues Mar 24: Fossil Fuel Propaganda
1. Read: The Language of Climate Politics Chapter 2 & Chapter 3.
2. Review: Blog Post on Climate Politics.
Thurs Mar 26: Fossil Fuel Propaganda
1. Read: The Language of Climate Politics Chapters 4 & 5.
Tues Mar 31: Fossil Fuel Propaganda
1. Read: The Language of Climate Politics Chapter 6 and After Words.
2. Due: By Midnight March 29: Blog Post on Climate Politics.
3. Due: Before Class Comment on at least 10 blog posts.
Thurs Apr 2: Joining the Youth Climate Movement
1. Read: A Bigger Picture Introduction & Chapters 1 and 2.
Tues Apr 7: Joining the Youth Climate Movement
1. Read: A Bigger Picture, Chapters 3-7.
2. Examine: Flash Memoir assignment.
Thurs Apr 9: Joining the Youth Climate Movement
1. Read: Finish A Bigger Picture, Chapters 8-10, Acknowledgements & Appendices 1 & 2.
Tues Apr 14: Solar Power
1. Read: Here Comes the Sun. Introduction & Chapters 1-3.
2. Due: Flash Memoir
Thurs Apr 16: Solar Power
1. Read: Here Comes the Sun Chapters 4-7.
Tues Apr 21: Solar Power
1. Read: Here Comes the Sun Chapters 8-10.
Thurs Apr 23: Preparing the Final Exam
Apr 27-30 Finals Week
Thur Apr 30 2:45-4:45: Final Exam