This lecture course explores the relationship between people and their natural environment over the last two millennia, from sixth-century plague outbreaks to twentieth-century nuclear programs. Lectures will cover the major sub-disciplines within environmental history, including climate, disease, landscapes, and energy systems. This course is global in scope, including lectures on Canadian environmental history alongside case studies spanning from the Americas, to Africa, Europe and Asia. We will uncover the entangled relationship between people and the natural world, examining both how human activities have altered the landscapes they live in, and how our communities have been shaped in turn by a range of natural conditions, from disease outbreaks to natural disasters.
Students will be evaluated through midterm and final exams, as well as a primary source analysis, in which they will select and analyze a case study from a range of relevant primary sources, including archaeological reports, medieval chronicles, and newspaper articles. Overall, this course aims to equip students with a longer-term view of current ecological practices, placing the climate crisis in its historical context.
