Seminar in Human-Environment Geography: Land-use, Management, and Governance

Aldo Leopold wrote, “We abuse land because we regard it as a commodity belonging to us. When we see land as a community to which we belong, we may begin to use it with love and respect.” To whom land belongs, decisions about how land is used, and the way these are negotiated represent fundamental themes in human-environment geography. In this course, we examine how contemporary academic and policy debates about land management and governance continue, struggling to reconcile tension between land-as-commodity versus land-as-community. How do we balance increasing demand for food, fuel, and fiber with protection of human rights and natural ecosystems, each operating at different spatial scales? Who gets to decide? We will explore these questions of management, values, and governance through a combination of readings, discussion, and collaborative research.  (Open to senior majors only; others by waiver) 3 hrs. sem