An in-depth study of cross-disciplinary, cross-religious and cross-cultural approaches to ecological issues, oriented toward understanding diverse issues in breadth and depth; and a collaborative development of ecological ethical concepts and principles to be integrated into human consciousness and communities, and implemented in community projects.
John Hart
Boston University
Course Objectives:
- Learn the ideas and proposals of significant scholars writing on ecological issues
- Develop an understanding of how major ecological problems and injustices globally and bioregionally impact abiotic nature and biotic communities
- Creatively formulate innovative individual and group theoretical and practical proposals for ecological ethics, in conversation with the scholars studied and with colleagues in the seminar
- Learn to adapt and implement their proposals in future academic or pastoral settings.
Course Expectations:
- Preparation for and insightful participation in all class sessions.
- Two class presentations to stimulate engagement with the author(s) of the day.
Course Texts:
- Thomas Berry. The Great Work: Our Way into the Future. New York: Bell Tower, 1999
- Leonardo Boff. Cry of the Earth, Cry of the Poor. Maryknoll, NY: Orbis Books, 1997
- Robert D. Bullard. Dumping in Dixie–Race, Class, and Environmental Quality. 3rd Edition. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 2000
- Roger S. Gottlieb and David Landis Barnhill, eds. Deep Ecology and World Religions. New York: State University of New York Press, 2001
- John Hart. Sacramental Commons: Christian Ecological Ethics. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield, 2006
- Kirk-Duggan, Cheryl A., ed. The Sky Is Crying: Race, Class, and Natural Disaster (Nashville:Abingdon Press, 2006)
- Daniel C. Maguire and Larry L. Rasmussen. Ethics for a Small Planet: New Horizons on Population, Consumption and Ecology. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, 1998
- Roderick Frazier Nash. The Rights of Nature: A History of Environmental Ethics. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1989
- Seyyed Hossein Nasr. Religion and the Order of Nature. New York: Oxford University Press, 1996
- Holmes Rolston, III. Environmental Ethics: Duties to and Values in the Natural World. Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1988
- E.F. Schumacher. Small Is Beautiful: Economics as if People Mattered. Vancouver, B.C.: Hartley & Marks, 1999
- Edward O. Wilson. The Creation: A Plea to Save Life on Earth. New York: W.W. Norton, 2006
Course Schedule:
Week 1: Introduction to the course
Week 2: Historical Development of Environmental Consciousness; Reading: Nash
Week 3: Valuing Nature and Responsibility for Nature; Reading: Rolston
Week 4: Islam, the West, and Nature; Reading: Nasr
Week 5: Research Day
Week 6: Ecology, Economics, and Human Community; Reading: Schumacher
Week 7: Natural Disasters and Political Responses; Reading: Kirk-Duggan
* Analytical Paper 1 is due *
Week 8: Earth Impacts of Population and Consumption; Reading: Maguire and Rasmussen
Week 9: Eco-racism and Liberation of the Oppressed; Reading: Bullard; Boff
Week 10: Deep Ecology and Comparative Religious Worldviews; Reading: Gottlieb and Barnhill
*Research Paper outline is due*
Week 11: Cosmic Community Consciousness; Reading: Berry
* Analytical Paper 2 is due *
Week 12: Spirit and Community; Reading: Hart
Week 13: Science, Religion, and Ecology; Reading: Wilson
Week 14: Grand finale; Presentation of Collaborative Research Paper
Class Presentations
Description: A brief analytical summary of 2-3 issues discussed by the author(s) in the section under consideration; discussion of ethical principles expressed by, implied in or to be developed from text and context; and a presentation of ideas, principles and questions for further discussion.
Process: Divide responsibilities for the class session readings among students; determine order of presentation.
Technical Requirements: Provide the course instructor with a written copy (minimum length: 4 typed pages) of each individual presentation prior to its discussion in class.
Collaborative Research Paper
Description: A group exploration of and engagement with a contemporary ecological issue, selected in consultation with the course instructor, from such topics as: Christian, Jewish, Islamic or humanist ecological consciousness and ethics; valuing nature as a whole and in part; natural rights in nature; ethical implications of humans’ consciousness of divine transcendence and immanence in nature; economic liberation and ecological well-being; conserving the common good and the commons good; ecology, economics and appropriate technologies. The paper should include consideration and resolution of harms to humankind, other species and Earth.
Method:
- Socio-ecological Analysis: Description of the ecological issue utilizing, as appropriate, data from natural sciences, social sciences, historical traditions, past and present community insights, existing laws.
- Socio-ecological Ethics: Discussion of relevant ethical insights from humanist and/or faith traditions; collaborative development of an ecological ethic; reflection on applicable ethical principles; prioritization of principles; selection of appropriate principles for this issue in this situation; rationale for selection.
- Socio-ecological Vision: Projection of desired future outcomes if ethical principles were applied to rectify the harm to nature under discussion.
- Socio-ecological Project: Anticipated actions to engage people in selected places to realize the vision through concrete application of ethical principles in an historical project in a local or regional community.
Process:
- Develop a group of 2-3 students who will work individually and collaboratively on a selected issue.
- Determine necessary research areas and divide them among members of the group.
- Discuss each of the four sections together; determine your position(s) and the content of each section.
- Decide on particular writing responsibilities: for each section; for final editing.
- Designate responsibilities for class presentation.
Technical Requirements:
- Submission of 2p paper outline (topic, team, initial proposed content) to instructor by Nov 6.
- Length: 25-30 pages [Min.: 2p Intro; 5p per section; 2p concluding comments; 1p bibl.]
- Typed, double spaced; 12 pt. font
- Grading based on breadth and depth of understanding the issue; integration of course materials and supplementary sources; coherence and consistency of presentation; equitable balance of competing perspectives; creativity of responses to issue; spelling and grammatical accuracy.
- All materials used verbatim must have quotation marks and proper attribution; plagiarism is a serious offense meriting a serious response in accord with STH policies.
- Due date: for class presentation