An Environmental Problem: Energy, Pollution, Catastrophe

This course looks at pollution in the modern period through the lens of energy and resource use, focusing on four major categories of resources: coal, oil, nuclear power and metals. Key themes and topics, including colonialism, exploitation, disposability, and sustainability, will be explored through the use of archival documents, newspaper articles, maps, and multimedia. We will examine the histories of pollution worldwide and their legacies today -- as such the course intersects with international politics, environmental justice and human rights.