Environmental (in)Justice in America

In this class we will explore dimensions of racial, class, and gender justice and injustice in the context of human-environmental relations in the United States. We will identify the ecological and socio-political forces that motivated attention to environmental justice starting in the mid-20th century. We will then employ theoretical theories such as critical race theory, social construction, and ecofeminism to examine recent cases of environmental injustice in the United States. Students will also investigate recent citizen, government, and corporate responses to environmental injustice to determine if they are fostering more equitable futures or actually (re)creating socio-environmental disparities in America. 3 hrs lect./disc. (Sociology)