The Nature of Intimacy

In this course we will investigate how contemporary ideas of nature, environmentalism, and environmental degradation intersect with different notions of intimacy. Scholars such as William Cronon, Val Plumwood, and Jenny Price will provide the backdrop for our exploration of a provocative range of literature and art—including fiction by Don DeLillo, photography by Subhankar Banerjee, poetry by Mary Oliver, and films by Werner Herzog. We will consider the following questions: can art and literature animate questions of intimacy in our environmental context; what kind of environmental politics can aesthetics inspire; and how is digital culture changing the face of nature and intimacy? This course counts as elective credit towards the ENAM major.