Courses with Sustainability Themes

The Courses with Sustainability Themes resource is a list of courses taught at Willamette University that incorporate issues of sustainability as described by the Center for Sustainable Communities.  Sustainability is defined as the balance between resource use, the needs of the environment, and the social, cultural, and economic well-being of their citizens. 

This resource is intended for prospective students to see what courses Willamette offers, as well as serving as a valuable tool to current student and faculty to quickly identify courses, topics, and peer faculty members who teach about sustainability at Willamette. 

This resource will be maintained by the Center for Sustainable Communities starting in June of 2012.  Until then, please direct comments and questions to John Repplinger (jrepplin@willamette.edu 370-6525).

20th-Century Europe (HIST 254)

This course surveys the history of Europe in the 20th century. Focusing on social and political developments, it examines the phenomenon of nationalism, total war, the Russian Revolution, the Depression, the rise of fascism and bureaucratic collectivism, and the Holocaust. In the post-WWII period, the course will focus on the division of Europe and of Europe in the Cold War, the decline of the European empires and on the contradictory forces that are pushing Europe toward economic and political unity on the one hand (most markedly in the West) and toward dissolution and conflict (especially in the East).

• Instructor: Bill Smaldone
• Offered: Alternate Springs | 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011

Advanced Topics in Economics: Economics of Sustainability (ECON 470)

(NOTE: Not all sections of 470 are on the same topic.) This course examines an economic theme or topic using the analytical and empirical skills developed at the intermediate theory level. The course culminates in a project proposal for the Economics Senior Seminar course and in a major paper which develops core components of the proposal. Assignments include written and oral evaluation of the work of both peers and professionals, multiple drafts of the research paper and classroom presentation of principal methods and conclusions. General Education Requirement Fulfillment: Writing centered Prerequisite: ECON 230, ECON 357 or ECON 358 (determined by instructor) and MATH 141 or equivalent

• Instructors: Nathan Sivers-Boyce, Don Negri
• Offered: On Demand | 2008, 2010, 2012

Advocacy Institute (IDS 349)

The Advocacy Institute is a two and one-half-week, intensive course of study abroad in which students learn to create persuasion in various forms, especially using film and new media. Each Institute is built around an important contemporary issue, such as sustainability, health care, or free speech, and the location in which the Institute is held varies with the focus for a given cycle. Each location is selected for its relevance to the topical focus, and students in the course actively engage in the local culture as part of the Institute curriculum. The forms of persuasion to be studied include film, photography, graphic design, new media, argumentation debate. The Institute utilizes a wide range of lectures, group discussion, service learning, field excursions, new media production, and debate tournaments. This program enrolls students from on and off campus, and interaction among individuals of varied nationalities and backgrounds comprises an essential dimension of the experience.

• Instructor: Robert Trapp
• Offered: Annually | 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

Agriculture and Biodiversity: Effects Beyond the Farm Field (IDS 341)

This course explores the relationship between food production and the decline of biodiversity. It explores the overlapping disciplines of Conservation Biology, Restoration Ecology, Agroecology and the concept of sustainable agriculture with emphasis on agriculture as a particular cause of biodiversity decline. Focus is on the effects of various types of agriculture and their effects on the biodiversity of adjacent lands. In this class we will explore questions such as: what’s wrong with our current food system? Why is there a need for a more sustainable system? What does sustainable agriculture look like? How does it protect biodiversity? And, how might we transform our current systems into more sustainable ones?

• Instructor: Jennifer Johns
• Offered: On Demand | 2012

Agriculture and Society (IDS 342)

This is an interdisciplinary course exploring the historical, political, and ethical context of sustainable agriculture. Through the analysis of texts, field experiences, discussions, and reflective writing, students will examine the historic foundations of domesticating plants for agriculture, analyze the cultural structures, practices, and values that have shaped their cultivation, evaluate the ethical implications in varying types of agriculture, and formulate their own ethic of sustainability with regards to food and agriculture. Special attention will be given to the environmental consequences of conventional and sustainable agriculture, interrogating the public values reflected in our agricultural systems, and analyzing the structures in the local food movement.

• Instructor: Jennifer Johns
• Offered: On Demand | 2012

Agroecology (IDS 341)

This course is taught in a 6 week summer post-session taught at Zena Farm. This course covers the ecology of farm systems, from basic inputs of energy and fertilizer to complex interactions between farmed and wild land. Topics include the management of soil fertility, plant breeding, pest and weed management, and sustainability of organic and conventional farming systems. We will focus on scientific findings that are useful for farmers, but also explore how the scientific method can be used to answer new questions as they arise. These topics will be explored both through chapters from scientific textbooks and through writings by farmers themselves describing their farms and choice of farming practices. Farm systems considered will including traditional native American farming, contemporary conventional and organic farms in the US, pre-industrial Chinese farming, contemporary sub-Saharan African farms.

• Instructors: Briana Lindh, Jennifer Johns
• Offered: On Demand | 2012

American Politics (POLI 210)

This course reviews elements of American government in light of contemporary political issues, analyzes political processes through which public concerns are translated into public policies and develops analytical tools with which to examine American politics in its economic and social context. Closed to seniors except with consent of instructor. Mode of Inquiry: Understanding Society

• Instructors: Richard Ellis, Melissa Michaux, Joe Bowersox
• Offered: Fall, Spring | 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

Archaeological Geology (ERTH 351)

Archaeological geology applies methods and theories from the geologic sciences to archaeological problems. This course will cover the processes associated with sedimentation and stratigraphy at archaeological sties and the geological approaches used to uncover cultural traits associated with the deposits. Geomorphic processes that impact site selection, formation, preservation, and identification will be addressed, as will macroscopic, petrographic, geochemical and isotopic techniques for characterizing and provenancing archaeological material. Geophysical survey methods and theories will also be reviewed. Throughout the course, the theoretical foundation that underlies the union between geology and archaeology will be stressed. Writing Centered. Prerequisite: ERTH 110

• Instructor: Scott Pike
• Offered: Alternate Springs | 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012

Biogeography (ENVR 333)

This course provides an introduction to the study of plant and animal distributions, both past and present. This is a broad field which overlaps several other disciplines, including biology, geography and geology. The study of plant distributions will be emphasized and approached from historical, cultural and ecological perspectives. Applications of biogeographic knowledge and theory to conservation problems will also be discussed. The lab component will address quantitative aspects of biogeographic research. Prerequisite: ERTH 112, BIOL 125, or consent of instructor

• Instructor: Karen Arabas
• Offered: Fall | 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

Biopsychology (PSYC 345)

The biological bases of animal behavior will be examined. Neuroanatomical and psychopharmacological techniques will be applied to processes including sleep, emotion, learning, and memory, as well as neuropsychological disorders. Prerequisite: PSYC 210

• Instructor: Sue Koger
• Offered: Annually | 2012

Chemical Concepts & Applications (CHEM 110)

Chemical Concepts is a course designed for nonscience majors. The course exposes students to the ways scientists think, to the power and the limitations of the scientific methods, and to the implications of our findings in political, social, economic, international, and ethical contexts. Relevant issues are used to introduce the chemistry rather than the other way around. Chemical concepts and facts are not introduced in a linear fashion but on a "need-to-know" basis to help students analyze complex issues from a chemical perspective. Topics covered may include studies of the ozone layer, global warming, nuclear energy, acid rain, and traditional and alternative energy sources.

• Instructor: Scott Meyer
• Offered: Spring | 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

Chemistry, Economics and the Environment (IDS 347)

A case study approach to environmental issues, considering both the technological and economic perspectives on causes and solutions. Issues considered may include acid rain, ozone depletion, global warming and toxic wastes. Prerequisite: A course in Chemistry and a course in Economics

• Instructor: David Goodney
• Offered: Fall | 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

Cities and the Making of Modern Europe (HIST 255)

This course surveys the transformation of Europe from a primarily rural to an overwhelmingly urban society. Why have cities come to dominate the European landscape? How have the functions of cities changed over time? How has the growth of cities impacted people's quality of life and how have cities managed the environmental, social, economic, and cultural challenges that expansion brought? What kinds of struggles played out in cities? To what extent are cities engines of change in shaping modern European society? The course will grapple with such questions by studying the histories of a selection of cities across Europe from the onset of the industrial revolution to the present. General Education Requirement: Thinking Historically

• Instructor: Bill Smaldone
• Offered: Alternate Springs | 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011

College Colloquium (IDS 101)

Topical seminars designed to pursue significant issues and questions of special interest to instructors and students. Seminars invite students into the intellectual life of the university, model rigorous engagement, and help them develop qualities of good scholarship -- effective writing, careful reading, critical thinking, and cogent argumentation. Seminars do not count toward majors or minors. Required for all entering first year students.

• Instructor: Interdisciplinary Studies Staff
• Offered: Fall | 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

College Colloquium - "Whiskey's for Drinkin', Water's for Fightin'": Water in the American West (IDS 101)

• Instructor: Don Negri
• Offered: Fall | 2006, 2008, 2009

College Colloquium - Africa in the Global Era (IDS 101)

• Instructor: Amadou Fofana
• Offered: Fall | 2006, 2007

College Colloquium - America's Dysfunctional Food System: How it Got That Way and What We Can Do About It (IDS 101)

• Instructor: Seth Cotlar
• Offered: Fall | 2009, 2010

College Colloquium - Being the Change: Spirituality, Nonviolence, and Social Justice (IDS 101)

• Instructor: Sue Koger
• Offered: Fall | 2006

College Colloquium - Beyond Beauty: American Artists Take Action (IDS 101)

• Instructor: Marva Duerksen
• Offered: Fall | 2010

College Colloquium - Boundaries and Delineations (IDS 101)

• Instructor: Rick Watkins
• Offered: Fall | 2010

College Colloquium - Climate Change and Imagination (IDS 101)

• Instructor: Tobias Menely
• Offered: Fall | 2009

College Colloquium - Climate Change and Indigenous People (IDS 101)

• Instructor: Rebecca Dobkins
• Offered: Fall | 2009

College Colloquium - Collaboration and Competition: Natural Resource Economics and Policy of the Columbia River Gorge (IDS 101)

The Columbia River Gorge runs from the mouth of the Deschutes River to the Sandy River spanning two states, six counties, and thirteen cities and towns. The Gorge is filled with unparalleled geological, scenic, recreational, floral, faunal, historical and cultural treasures. For almost a century, federal, state and local entities have attempted to balance the protection of the scenic, natural, cultural and recreational resources of the Gorge with efforts to leverage these resources for economic growth. Using a combination of lectures, readings, reflective writings, fieldtrips and projects, this colloquium explores the Columbia River Gorge to increase our understanding of how ecological, socio-economic, and geopolitical/legal forces interact to alter ecosystems, affect people's sense of well-being, and influence the sustainability of the life-support systems on Earth.

• Instructor: Scott Pike
• Offered: Fall | 2011

College Colloquium - Darwin and the Making of the Modern World (IDS 101)

• Instructor: Ken Nolley
• Offered: Fall | 2006

College Colloquium - Discovering the World: The Social Politics of Global Awareness (IDS 101)

• Instructor: Greg Felker
• Offered: Fall | 2010

College Colloquium - Global Health: Crises in Context (IDS 101)

• Instructor: Joyce Millen
• Offered: Fall | 2006, 2007

College Colloquium - Hoax Busters (IDS 101)

• Instructor: David Goodney
• Offered: Fall | 2009

College Colloquium - Homer's Odyssey as Natural History (IDS 101)

• Instructor: Scott Pike
• Offered: Fall | 2007

College Colloquium - Innovation, Intelligence, and Extinction: The Emerging Web of Life (IDS 101)

• Instructor: Susan Kephart
• Offered: Fall | 2007, 2009

College Colloquium - Jump Start Colloquium: The Water Planet (IDS 101)

• Instructors: David Goodney, Jerry Gray, Sharon Rose
• Offered: Fall | 2010

College Colloquium - Knitting Culture (IDS 101)

For hundreds of years, knitting has served a utilitarian need while providing a creative outlet. When placed in its social and cultural contexts, however, knitting serves as a fascinating window to the rest of the world. In this class, we will explore the art and politics of knitting, investigating the ways in which knit items have been used for such varied purposes as fashion, protest, activism, and philanthropy. For example, knitting was used to show support for the United States Army during World War II when civilians knit socks, mufflers, and sweaters for soldiers. More recently, Marianne Joergensen covered a tank from the Danish Army with pink knitted squares as a statement against the war in Iraq. We will discuss the recent rise in the popularity of knitting in the United States, and how it is linked to do-it-yourself culture and sustainable consumption. We will also explore how perceptions of knitting connect to our views of gender roles with relation to work. In addition, we will discuss the use of knitting in math and science as a means of representing abstract concepts. Through readings that will include essays, oral testimonials, blogs, and novels, we will work to place knitting in a cultural framework. Students will also learn to knit as part of the course.

• Instructor: David Altman
• Offered: Fall | 2011

College Colloquium - Landscapes: Ecological, Political, Cultural (IDS 101)

• Instructor: Joe Bowersox
• Offered: Fall | 2007

College Colloquium - Landscapes in Mind: Real and Imagined (IDS 101)

• Instructor: Joe Bowersox
• Offered: Fall | 2006

College Colloquium - Lives of Commitment: Creativity, Courage & Community (IDS 101)

• Instructor: Karen Wood
• Offered: Fall | 2009

College Colloquium - Lives of Commitment: Creativity, Courage & Community (IDS 101)

Who am I? What is my purpose in life? What’s my obligation to my neighbors, my community and my planet? How can I make a difference in the world? These are questions that we face as citizens of a campus, a city, a nation, and a global community. In this course we will examine how citizens with a passion for the common good nurture that commitment in the face of cynicism, fear or a sense of powerlessness. We will read and hear the stories of individuals who are inspired to make a difference in their communities, both locally and globally, and how those commitments are nurtured and sustained. By studying the lives of committed individuals, students will have a chance to start formulating their own self-understanding as citizens in a complex world, and to consider how they can lead lives that reflect their convictions.

• Instructor: Karen Wood
• Offered: Fall | 2011

College Colloquium - Maps (IDS 101)

• Instructor: Karen Arabas
• Offered: Fall | 2006, 2007, 2008

College Colloquium - Media, Consumption and Culture (IDS 101)

Consumption plays an important part in our culture, and mass media has greatly expanded its influence. Sampling and focusing on familiar topics such as food, fashion, media, and history, our class will look at the historical origin, development and change in consumption and culture in modern society. We will explore the interactions between technological, commercial and emotional mechanisms that encourage people to spend and consume more. We will discuss the ways in which the development of technology fueled and was fueled by consumption and media expansion. We will also look at globalization by examining how consumption connects people from different countries, and impacts different cultures in terms of gender, lifestyle and other social norms. The semester will end by examining current trends in consumption that have been promoted by the media, such as “green” consumption. Throughout the course, we will consider whether we are passive media audiences and dumb consumers, or active media users and powerful consumers.

• Instructor: Huike Wen
• Offered: Fall | 2011

College Colloquium - Medical Futures (IDS 101)

• Instructor: David Craig
• Offered: Fall | 2006

College Colloquium - Nature and Knowledge: Indigenous Perspectives on the Environment (IDS 101)

This seminar is about the different ways people come to understand the world and their relationships to the environment. At its heart, this course is about epistemology--the study of theories of knowledge. What is knowledge? What is "nature?" How do we come to know what we know about "nature?" In particular, we investigate how indigenous peoples in various parts of the globe form knowledge about the environment and their relationships and interactions with it. To conduct this investigation, we focus upon a series of case studies that deal with the responses of indigenous peoples to climate change and to the concept of sustainability. Now, with increased global attention to climate change, there is also growing awareness that indigenous communities have built up knowledge over long periods about environmental variability. Many native groups have developed ecological and political coping strategies that may offer valuable lessons about sustainability. Course activities will include field trips, guest speakers, and films, so that students gain first-hand knowledge of these issues on a local, regional, and global level. The instructor’s research in the Canadian Arctic, Australia, and the Pacific Northwest will inform the course.

• Instructor: Rebecca Dobkins
• Offered: Fall | 2011

College Colloquium - Oh Canada! (IDS 101)

• Instructor: Sammy Basu
• Offered: Fall | 2007, 2009

College Colloquium - Poverty & Public Policy: Challenges for Education & Public Health (IDS 101)

• Instructor: Courtney Stevens
• Offered: Fall | 2010

College Colloquium - Reading and Writing the Wild: Nature and Civilization (IDS 101)

• Instructor: Michael Strelow
• Offered: Fall | 2006, 2008

College Colloquium - Science and Pseudoscience (IDS 101)

• Instructor: Roberta Bigelow
• Offered: Fall | 2006, 2009

College Colloquium - Sustainability and Western Civiliation: Narratives of Progress, Decline, and Devastation (IDS 101)

• Instructor: Wendy Petersen-Boring
• Offered: Fall | 2007

College Colloquium - The Animal in Us and the Creatures Around Us (IDS 101)

• Instructor: Barbara Stebbins-Boaz
• Offered: Fall | 2007

College Colloquium - The Geography of Food (IDS 101)

• Instructor: Kimberlee Chambers
• Offered: Fall | 2008, 2010

College Colloquium - The Struggle for Human Rights (IDS 101)

• Instructor: Jonneke Koomen
• Offered: Fall | 2010

College Colloquium - The Unnatural Hazards of Natural Disaster Movies (IDS 101)

• Instructor: Scott Pike
• Offered: Fall | 2009

College Colloquium - The Water Planet - The 75% Problem (IDS 101)

We are Water: The 75% Problem 75% of the human body is water Water is essential for life on earth Water is a common medium for disease transmission Water is a limited and precious resource Humans become infected with cholera, polio, giardia and many other infectious agents by drinking contaminated water. In addition, conflicts over water availability and quality have plagued humans for millennia. We will explore these issues using the genres of fiction, creative non-fiction and scientific writing. Readings, discussions, and essays are designed to help students develop ideas about water-borne diseases, water use, water management, and the necessity of water for life. Students will also investigate water properties and quality during field trips and laboratory experimentation. Students who are registered in this section of Colloquium will “jump start" their college career with field trips and laboratory activities during Opening Days. Field trips and laboratories will be conducted in common with students in We are Water: The 75% Solution. The extra hours in the field and laboratory will allow us to have flexibility in our schedule at the end of the semester.

• Instructor: Sharon Rose
• Offered: Fall | 2011

College Colloquium - The Water Planet - The 75% Solution (IDS 101)

We are Water: The 75% Solution 75% of the planet Earth is covered by water Water is the milieu for chemical reactions Water is a limited and precious resource Water is a common substance, yet it has unique and extremely important properties that students will investigate during field trips, through laboratory experimentation, and by critical reading. Many humans do not have access to unpolluted water. Thus, conflicts over water availability and quality have plagued humans for millennia. We will explore water issues using the genres of fiction, creative non-fiction and scientific writing. Readings, discussions, and essays are designed to help students develop ideas about water conservation, water use, water management, and the necessity of water for life. Students who are registered in this section of Colloquium will “jump start” their college career with field trips and laboratory activities during Opening Days. Field trips and laboratories will be conducted in common with students in We are Water: The 75% Problem. The extra hours in the field and laboratory will allow us to have flexibility in our schedule at the end of the semester.

• Instructor: David Goodney
• Offered: Fall | 2011

College Colloquium - The Wild and the Tame: Writing Nature and Civilization (IDS 101)

In this course we will read important American nature writing from the 18th, 19th, 20th (and some from the 21st) centuries. We’ll look at the place of wilderness—the wild, the undiscovered, the mysterious—-in the realm of ideas. Authors such as John Burroughs, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Henry David Thoreau, John Muir, Aldo Leopold, Elizabeth Bishop, Margaret Atwood, Annie Dillard, Jon Krakauer, Gary Snyder, Gretel Erlich, and others will serve as writing examples and be the center for discussion and sources for inspiring student writing.

• Instructor: Michael Strelow
• Offered: Fall | 2011

College Colloquium - Voices for Change: Fifty Years of Speaking Up (IDS 101)

• Instructor: Catherine Collins
• Offered: Fall | 2008, 2009

College Colloquium - Walking, Knowing, Making: A Peripatetic Exploration of Place (IDS 101)

• Instructor: Bobby Brewer-Wallin
• Offered: Fall | 2010

College Colloquium - White Weddings Unveiled: Examining the Wedding Industrial Complex (IDS 101)

• Instructor: Jade Aguilar
• Offered: Fall | 2009, 2010

College Colloquium - Willamette Nationalist 2.0 (IDS 101)

• Instructor: David Craig
• Offered: Fall | 2008, 2010

College Colloquium - “Made in China”: How the Rise of China as a World Factory Affects our Consumption, Jobs and Environment (IDS 101)

From toys to apparel, from furniture to bicycles, from TV sets to computers, numerous products labeled “made in China” find their ways to American households and businesses. The fact of China’s rise as a “world factory” entails far-reaching impacts on consumption, jobs and environment around the globe. Mass production in China enables American consumers to enjoy low-priced, good quality and varied products, but may be more of a curse than a blessing for American workers, who face job losses due to this competition. Meanwhile, insatiable demand for Chinese products helps to create jobs and income in China; even though these jobs are often grueling, precarious, low paid, and lead to extraordinary environmental degradation and resource exhaustion. China’s environmental damage in turn produces negative ramifications in many other countries, including the United States. In a nutshell, the rise of China as a “world factory” has generated much drama and intrigue, excitement and anxiety, as well as opportunities and challenges to the global economy. In this course, we will examine these opportunities and challenges, exploring how they affect the well-being of men and women in the two countries. Who are the winners and losers of the “game”? How might this change the relations between and within the two nations? What are the forces in play and how can we change them for the better? Class discussion will explore the pros and cons of globalization and inspire us to “think globally and act locally” so as to “re-humanize” globalization.

• Instructor: Yan Liang
• Offered: Fall | 2011

Colloquium in Politics: Social & Environmental Justice Politics (POLI 105)

This course examines environmental problems, community responses and policy debates in the US through the lens of social justice. We will critically analyze case studies of environmental processes and outcomes through course readings. Students will work in groups with classmates on experiential projects in coordination with social justice organizations in the Willamette Valley. Students will compare their experiences with environmental justice (EJ) frameworks and philosophies. This course enables faculty and students to focus on a specific topic in politics. Topics will involve attention to some aspect of the interconnections between ideas, images, personalities, power, and institutions as these arise in the political, socio-economic, and cultural spheres. Designation of specific topic and relevant cases and theories will be made at the time of course offering. Open to first and second year students only.

• Instructor: Megan Ybarra
• Offered: Alternate Springs | 2011, 2012

Ecological Psychology (PSYC 105)

Environmental degradation is one of the most pressing issues facing society. Because human behavior is at the root, understanding individual and societal processes is critical to addressing and solving the problems. This class provides an overview of psychology as it may be applied to environmental issues. Employing the principle “Think Globally, Act Locally,” we will conduct personal and community projects to illuminate the ways in which our own conduct contributes to larger global patterns.

• Instructor: Sue Koger
• Offered: Spring | 2006, 2008, 2009

English VI: English Through Gardens Imaginary and Real (TIUA English VI)

Students read and discuss articles about sustainable farming and join forces with WU students during the Summer Institute in Sustainable Agriculture at Zena Farm on 4 occasions to work with them in various sustainable farming tasks for 1 and 1/2 hours each visit.

• Instructor: Sirena Tabet
• Offered: On Demand | 2011, 2012

Environmental Chemistry (CHEM 230)

Basic chemical concepts are applied to environmental issues, including the quality of air, quality of water, use of natural resources, availability of energy in various forms, feasibility of alternate energy sources, and toxic chemicals. Some chemical, hydrological, and meteorological cycles are covered. Changes in our perception of the environment because of advances in chemistry are considered. Environmental issues of topical interest including environmental legislation and societal impact are discussed. Laboratory required. Prerequisite: CHEM 115

• Instructor: David Goodney
• Offered: Alternate Springs | 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012

Environmental Economics (ECON 345)

The economic paradigm can make important contributions to understanding and alleviating environmental problems. This course examines the shortcomings of the market mechanism for allocating environmental resources and of public policies for mitigating environmental degradation. Topics include externalities, common property resources, public goods, property rights and cost-benefit analysis. Special consideration will be given to several contemporary environmental problems. Prerequisite: ECON 122

• Instructors: Don Negri, Nathan Sivers-Boyce, Damian Bickett
• Offered: Fall | 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

Environmental Ethics (PHIL 245)

A critical examination of the ethical status of non-human animals and natural systems within classical and contemporary thought. Do humans have a special status as nature’s masters, exploiters, or protectors? Does nature have an intrinsic value apart from human appreciation? Do animals, plants, or ecosystems have rights? Should the preservation of wilderness ever take precedence over human development? Particular attention will be given to the radical shift in environmental valuation seen in both popular and academic ethics over the past fifty years.

• Instructor: Jared Hibbard-Swanson
• Offered: On Demand | 2012

Environmental Geology (ERTH 350)

This course applies principles and techniques learned in physical geology to such geologic hazards as vulcanism, seismicity, erosion, mass wasting and flooding and to mineral, fossil fuel and water resource development and their related environmental impacts. Laboratory required. Writing Centered. Prerequisite: ERTH 110

• Instructor: Scott Pike
• Offered: Alternate Springs | 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011

Environmental History (ENVR 326)

This course will give students a general introduction to environmental history, using a wide range of sources including history textbooks, popular writing about nature and the environment, nature documentaries, and the landscape. The course will challenge students to think critically about the study of history, how history articulates ongoing human efforts to understand and control nature, and how history investigates current debates about the environment. Topics include: deforestation and the development of the agrarian landscape in Western Europe; European colonization and the effect of European contact on native populations in North America; industrialization and the use and development of natural resources; the definitions, planning, and management of public spaces such as national parks, game lands and zoos; establishment of environmental standards; the emergence of conservation ecology; "green" politics and ecofeminism. Mode of Inquiry: Thinking Historically; Environmental Cluster Prerequisite: Closed to freshmen

• Instructor: Monique Bourque
• Offered: Fall, Spring | 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

Environmental History of Zena (ENVR 349)

This class reconstructs the past of the place now known as the Willamette University Forest at Zena. To do so, the course focuses on the relationship between humans and the nonhuman natural world: how people have changed the Zena environment, and how that environment has changed them. Students will investigate a wide range of topics, such as: how the Zena landscape has changed and by what nonhuman natural and human forces; different kinds of land use practices by different human populations (Kalapuya, Euro-American, etc.); and the meaning of this place to different people at different times. Students will use a variety of methods and tools, including archival research and collection and analysis of scientific data, to narrate and interpret Zena’s environmental history.

• Instructor: Environmental & Earth Sciences Staff
• Offered: On Demand | 2012

Environmental Policymaking: Politics and Process (POLI 341)

A comprehensive analysis of the internal and external influences of the environmental policy process, locally, nationally and globally. Students will explore issue formation, models of policy decision-making, risk perception and assessment, and the motivations and powers of various actors in the policy process. Prerequisite: POLI 210 or consent of instructor Mode of Inquiry: Analyzing Arguments, Reasons, and Values; Environmental Cluster General Education Requirement Fulfillment: Writing centered Prerequisite: POLI 210 or consent of instructor

• Instructor: Joe Bowersox
• Offered: Spring | 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

Environmental Science Internship (ENVR 494)

Student participation off-campus with an agency, group or individual working on some aspect of the environment. The purpose is for the student to gain practical knowledge through involvement and for the student to provide research and other work capabilities; 10-12 hours per week.

• Instructors: Karen Arabas, Scott Pike, Kimberlee Chambers, Peter Eilers
• Offered: Fall, Spring | 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

Forest Ecology and Policy (ENVR 445)

A case study approach to forests integrating forest policy and ecology. Using class and field instruction, students will design research projects that will emphasize the science and social science issues related to forest management. Course includes a mandatory pre-semester field trip in mid-August.

• Instructors: Karen Arabas, Joe Bowersox
• Offered: Alternate Falls | 2012

General Ecology (BIOL 255)

Organisms in the natural environment; plant and animal populations; the community concept; and methods of description and analysis of ecological communities. Laboratory or field trip. This class encourages students to become naturalist or natural historian through studying the world by observing plants and animals directly. Because organisms are functionally inseparable from the environment in which they live and because their structure and function cannot be adequately interpreted without knowing some of their evolutionary history, the study of natural history embraces the study of deeper time (e.g. fossils), as well as physiographic and other aspects of the physical environment including anthrogenic forces and concepts of sustainability. Prerequisite: BIOL 125 or consent of instructor

• Instructors: Jennifer Johns, David Craig
• Offered: Fall, Spring | 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

Geographic Information Systems  (ERTH 333)

A comprehensive approach to cartography and spatial analysis, including the use of the global positioning system, computer-aided mapping and geographic information systems. Lecture, field and laboratory experience with an emphasis on class and individual projects. General Education Requirement Fulfillment: Quantitative and Analytical Reasoning Prerequisite: Environmental Science major or consent of instructor.

• Instructor: Peter Eilers
• Offered: Fall, Spring | 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

Geography of the Pacific States (ERTH 332)

A study of the physical and cultural elements of the Pacific States with special reference to Oregon. Topics for consideration include landforms, soils, vegetation, climate, resource development, land use, urbanization and current problems. Methods include lectures, discussions, readings, student presentations and field trips.

• Instructor: Peter Eilers
• Offered: On Demand | 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

Germany Since 1945 (HIST 391)

This course surveys the socioeconomic, political and cultural development of Germany since the collapse of the Third Reich. It examines the postwar division of the country into West and East Germany, the impact of the Cold War on two frontline states and the internal and external factors that led to the country's recent "reunification." In addition, the course aims to raise questions about the essential features of the "democratic-capitalist" West and the "totalitarian-socialist" East and the ways in which these factors shape contemporary German society.

• Instructor: Bill Smaldone
• Offered: Alternate Springs | 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011

Global Climate Change (ENVR 347)

This course will use an interdisciplinary approach to examine the issue of global climate change. The class will have three main units. The first will focus on the science of climate change including prehistoric and historic temperature records, prehistoric and historic greenhouse gas concentrations, and observed changes in natural systems due to recent warming. The second will look at the implications of climate change for society resulting from disruption of natural systems. Finally, the third unit will look to the future and discuss possible problems, solutions, and opportunities presented by climate change. The course will place a particular emphasis on integrating the most current information from fields that span the natural and social sciences when investigating the causes and implications of global climate change.

• Instructor: Environmental & Earth Sciences Staff
• Offered: On Demand | 2012

Globalization and Equity (POLI 326)

This course examines the complex process of globalization that is transforming contemporary politics, economics and culture. The course addresses the movements of political and cultural forms, people, knowledge, capital, technology and consumer goods across national boundaries; and analyzes their effects on state autonomy, public policy, political and cultural change and resistance and equity. Not open to freshmen. General Education Requirement Fulfillment: Writing centered Prerequisite: One 200 level Politics course

• Instructor: Greg Felker
• Offered: Fall, Spring | 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

Health, Stress and the Environment (PSYC 430)

Many "environmental" threats such as pollution and climate change significantly impact (stress) human health and well-being. In this seminar, students will read, reflect, write, and present on topics including the effects of toxins on brain development and function (e.g., developmental disabilities and Parkinson's disease), urban stressors, the health costs of consumer products and foods, differential impacts on low income and minority populations (i.e., environmental injustice), as well as restorative (natural) environments, and specific topics of interest to students.

• Instructor: Sue Koger
• Offered: On Demand | 2010, 2012

History of Modern Russia (HIST 372)

The uniqueness of Russian civilization, the Russian Revolution and the Soviet Union. The emancipation period, revolutionary thought and action, the constitutional monarchy, the 1917 revolutions and the establishment of the Soviet regime, the development of agriculture and industry and the evolution of the Communist Party.

• Instructor: Bill Smaldone
• Offered: Alternate Springs | 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011

History of Modern Socialism (HIST 440)

A study of the socialist responses to the industrialization of Europe and to the development of modern society. The study will begin with utopian socialists and then special emphasis will be given to Marxism. Consideration will also be given to the relationship of revisionist socialist, Leninist, Stalinist and Maoist thought to orthodox Marxism.

• Instructor: Bill Smaldone
• Offered: Alternate Springs | 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011

Indigenous Peoples, Human Rights and the Environment (ANTH 351)

This course focuses upon environmental and human rights issues affecting indigenous peoples worldwide. Using the cross-cultural, comparative and field-based perspectives that distinguish anthropology, this course examines some of the most pressing problems facing the world's indigenous peoples, explores strategies used by these groups in facing human rights and environmental violations, and offers students the opportunity to study about and take action on these issues. Case studies of specific indigenous groups will be drawn from different world areas, including North and South America, Africa, Oceania and Asia. Mode of Inquiry: Analyzing Arguments, Reasons and Values Prerequisite: prior course work in Anthropology or Environmental Studies required

• Instructor: Rebecca Dobkins
• Offered: Alternate Falls | 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

Introduction to Ceramics (ARTS 245)

The use of various clays will be explored in two-dimensional and three-dimensional design. Handbuilding, wheel work, glaze application and firing techniques will be pursued.

• Instructor: Heidi Grew
• Offered: Fall | 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

Introduction to Environmental Science (ENVR 105)

An introduction to environmental science designed to promote an understanding of the effect of human actions on the natural world. Topics include human impacts on atmospheric, aquatic, and terrestrial systems; human population dynamics; environmental perceptions and ethics; and the concept of sustainability. The course includes a service learning component. Lectures, discussion, films, readings.

• Instructors: Karen Arabas, Joe Bowersox, Scott Pike, Kimberlee Chambers
• Offered: Spring | 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

Introduction to Psychology (PSYC 210)

Systematic exploration of traditional fields of psychology, including biopsychology, sensation and perception, cognitive, learning, developmental, social, personality, and clinical areas. Special attention will be given to the nature of evidence and its interpretation in behavioral science, as well as to ethical considerations and controversies arising in connection with the conduct and application of psychological research. Mode of Inquiry: Analyzing Arguments, Reasons, and Values

• Instructor: Sue Koger
• Offered: Fall, Spring | 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

Introduction to Sculpture (ARTS 210)

This course will introduce students to the fundamental sculptural processes of addition, subtraction and substitution. Emphasis will be on students executing, understanding and discussing quality craft, successful composition, productive conceptualization and creative problem solving. Students will explore various sculptural methods including steel fabrication, wood construction, plaster construction, assemblage and mold-making.

• Instructor: Andries Fourie
• Offered: Fall | 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

Landscapes and Cultures of Middle America (LAS 331)

Landscapes and Cultures of Middle America is designed to serve as a general introduction to the lands and peoples of Middle America, defined territorially as Mexico, Central America, and the Greater and Lesser Antilles. As our opening lecture will demonstrate, these geographical limits are increasingly blurred as the lives of North Americans are inexorably tied to those of our southern neighbors. The course will feature regular film screenings, with visual representations of Middle America reality drawn from several genres (documentary, drama, historical reconstruction).

• Instructor: Kimberlee Chambers
• Offered: Alternate Springs | 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012

Landscapes and Cultures of South America (LAS 330)

This course is designed to serve as an introduction to the lands and peoples of South America. The nature of the colonial experience is of primary concern to us, with similarities and differences drawn between the operation of the two great imperial powers, Spain and Portugal.

• Instructor: Kimberlee Chambers
• Offered: Alternate Springs | 2007, 2009, 2011

Latin American Environmental History (HIST 341)

This course will use the tools, methodologies, and theoretical approaches of environmental history to explore the history of Latin America from the pre-Columbian era to the present. Our regions of study will include the pastoral and agricultural lands of Mexico, the glaciers of Peru, and the banana plantations of Honduras, but our subjects of study—disease, deforestation, conservation, consumption, and labor, to name a few—are relevant to many other places throughout Latin America. The course has one basic premise: that environmental history allows us to tell different stories about the past. These stories are rooted in the very soil on which humans act, soil—and trees and insects and water and animals—that also act on humans. By studying this interaction between human culture and the nonhuman natural world, we gain new insights into the past. In this course, we will see how environmental historians have approached Latin American history, and apply those lessons to our own stories about the Latin American past.

• Instructor: Bob Reinhardt
• Offered: On Demand | 2012

Media and the Environment (RHET 210)

This course explores the way the media deals with environmental issues and images, particularly biodiversity. We focus on the emergence of the environment as an important media issue beginning in the 1970s; the way news and entertainment media have presented the environment; and the links between media texts, the culture which they create and reflect and the viewer/reader's response to these messages. Students will learn textual analysis of news stories (print and television), documentary films, and environment and children's programming. We pay particular attention to how these messages reflect the way the culture values and reasons and to how these messages argue for a particular view of the natural world and our relationship with the environment. Part of the environmental cluster. This is a paired course; students must enroll concurrently in BIOL 210 Biodiversity: Discovering Life. Together these courses fulfill two course credits and two writing-centered credits. Mode of Inquiry: Analyzing Arguments, Reasons, and Values; Interpreting Texts; Environmental Cluster General Education Requirement Fulfillment: Writing centered

• Instructor: Catherine Collins
• Offered: Spring | 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

Modern Latin America (HIST 258)

This course examines the significant social, political, economic and cultural developments in Latin America from the 19th century movements for independence through the 20th century. Special emphasis will be given to Mexico, Cuba, and Central America as well as selected South American states including Brazil. The role of the United States in the region will also receive much attention.

• Instructor: Bill Smaldone
• Offered: Alternate Springs | 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011

Perspectives in Sustainable Agriculture (IDS 342)

This is an interdisciplinary course exploring the historical, political and botanical context of sustainable agriculture. Each week of the course will be centered on a plant family that has played a pivotal role in the history of agriculture, from the Neolithic era to modern industrialized agriculture. Substantive content will focus on plant biology, history, policy, and public values. Plant biology will be learned outdoors on the farm, seeking to help students see the physical structure of food plants through a lens of history, and to see how the availability and evolutionary possibilities of food plants has influenced agricultural history and policy. We have chosen plants and plant families that sit at the crossroads of biology and culture and that will enable us to explore the reasons these plants are so prevalent in agriculture as we evaluate the ethical and political implications of their production. For instance, the course will start with the domestication of grains such as wheat and corn, first exploring the botanical characteristics which facilitated domestication and increased production, and then moving to the social consequences of their domestication and propagation, the historical governmental policies which have affected their utilization, and the environmental and cultural impact of their cultivation.

• Instructor: Jennifer Johns
• Offered: On Demand | 2012

Physical Geography (ERTH 112)

An integrated study of the major components of the physical environment - landforms, climate, natural vegetation and soils - in the light of their significance to mankind. Laboratory experience includes fieldwork and emphasizes identification, measurement, data analysis and presentation of results. Mode of Inquiry: Understanding the Natural World

• Instructor: Peter Eilers
• Offered: Spring | 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

Physical Geology (ERTH 110)

An introduction to internal and external earth processes within the framework of plate tectonic theory. Laboratory work emphasizes identification of common rocks and minerals and interpretation of topographic maps, aerial photographs and geologic maps. Prerequisite for Environmental Geology and Historical Geology. Mode of Inquiry: Understanding the Natural World

• Instructors: Scott Pike, Melissa Hage
• Offered: Fall | 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

Plant Ecology and Conservation (BIOL 257)

A natural history-based, investigative approach to plant ecology and conservation, emphasizing the dynamic interactions of plants in relation to biotic and abiotic environments. Explores the life histories and interrelationships of plant populations within ecological communities. Includes case studies of plant adaptations and interactions within grassland, savanna, and forest habitats. Covers ecological sampling techniques and tree identification. Lecture, discussion, field, and laboratory experiences. Prerequisite: BIOL 125 or consent of instructor

• Instructor: Susan Kephart
• Offered: Fall | 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

Political Ecology (POLI 386)

This course explores social justice questions in the practice of conservation, focusing on the developing world. Students will critically assess epistemological, methodological, and practical issues in nature-society relations, and thereby trace the emergence of the interdisciplinary approach known as political ecology. Topics to be addressed may include: how poor people are affected by park creation and enforcement; neoliberalism in conservation; and ethnic, gender and class disparities in environmental movements, especially the stereotype of the "ecologically noble savage." Students will work through a case study on the politics of conservation in a developing country. General Education Requirement: Analyzing Arguments, Reasons, and Values. Prerequisite: 200-level Politics course or consent of instructor.

• Instructor: Megan Ybarra
• Offered: Alternate Falls | 2011, 2012

Politics of Environmental Ethics (POLI 304)

Critical and in-depth analysis of the human/nature relationship, its impact upon political theory and ethics, as well as its larger ramifications for social and moral life generally. Mode of Inquiry: Analyzing Arguments, Reasons, and Values; Environmental Cluster General Education Requirement Fulfillment: Writing centered Prerequisite: POLI 210 or consent of instructor

• Instructor: Joe Bowersox
• Offered: Fall | 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

Principles of Biology (BIOL 110)

Introduces principles and concepts which apply to all living organisms with special emphasis on humans and their societies, including bioethical concerns and the applications and limits of scientific method. Topics considered are: physical-chemical background, scientific theories as to the origin of life, organization from cell to organism to populations, major groups of living organisms, biological energetics, principles and environmental problems. Historical acquisition of scientific knowledge and questioning of "scientific facts" are discussed. Non-majors course. Laboratory required. Mode of Inquiry: Understanding the Natural World

• Instructor: Biology Staff
• Offered: Fall, Spring | 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

Psychology of Learning (PSYC 340)

A systematic introduction to the nature of the learning process, emphasizing a topical/theoretical orientation. Major topics covered include the historical legacy of neobehaviorism, classic and contemporary Pavlovian conditions, techniques of instrumental learning, the nature of reinforcement, aversive learning, generalization and discrimination, and recent developments in the field. A service learning component is included. Prerequisite: PSYC 210 or consent of instructor

• Instructor: Sue Koger
• Offered: Annually | 2010, 2011, 2012

Senior Seminar in Environmental Science: Part I (ENVR 495)

Senior seminar: Part I begins the capstone experience for ES majors. Students design and begin to conduct their senior thesis, an original piece of interdisciplinary research related to human impact on nature. The thesis will demonstrate a familiarity with the literature and methods of analysis both within and across the relevant disciplines. In Part I students focus on proposal formulation, research design, and data collection, refining their work through peer and instructor review. Seminar discussion of relevant texts may be used to consider the complexities of the discipline of environmental science. Mode of Inquiry: Writing Centered Prerequisite: Senior majoring in Environmental Science

• Instructors: Karen Arabas, Scott Pike, Kimberlee Chambers, Peter Eilers
• Offered: Fall | 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

Senior Seminar in Environmental Science: Part II (ENVR 496)

Senior seminar: Part II completes the capstone experience for ES majors. Students continue work on their thesis, focusing on data collection, analysis, and interpretation, refining their work through peer and instructor review. The final products of the seminar are the written thesis and a pubic presentation. Seminar discussion of relevant texts may be used to consider the complexities of the discipline of environmental science. General Education Requirement Fulfillment: Writing centered Prerequisite: Senior majoring in Environmental Science; ENVR 495(W)

• Instructors: Karen Arabas, Scott Pike, Kimberlee Chambers, Peter Eilers
• Offered: Spring | 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

Sustainable Agriculture for the 21st Century (ENVR 332)

This course is designed to explore a diversity of topics relating to sustainable agriculture -- farming systems that are profitable, environmentally sound and good for people and communities. The course will be structured around five units. We will begin by defining the term sustainability and exploring its origins. The next three units will reflect the 'Es' of sustainability -- environment, economics, and equity - in relation to agriculture. The last unit will be project-based, requiring students to develop a plan for sustainable agriculture in a particular geographic region designated by the instructor. The goal of the final portion of the class is to explore a real life context what is meant by sustainable agriculture, the difficulties in achieving this, and the compromises that inevitably have to be made. Prerequisites: ENVR 105 or ERTH 230 or BIOL 110 or consent of instructor. General Education Requirement Fulfillment: Writing-Centered

• Instructor: Kimberlee Chambers
• Offered: Annually | 2007, 2009, 2011

Three-Dimensional Design (ARTS 114)

This course introduces the fundamental sculptural principles of space, line, shape, mass, texture, unity, balance, emphasis and scale. The processes of linear, planar, modular and plastic construction will be undertaken. Emphasis will be on students discussing and understanding the principles of three-dimensional design as well as executing studio projects characterized by quality craft and successful composition.

• Instructor: Andries Fourie
• Offered: Spring | 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

Topics in Sculpture (ARTS 244)

This course allows students to conduct an in depth, focused exploration of topics, genres and modes of expression not covered by the regular sculpture curriculum, and could address such areas as: sculptural installation, site specific sculpture, the sculpture of the body/figure, multi-media sculpture, environmental sculpture, sculpture and the preformative aspect, and the found object in sculpture. The class will focus on one assigned topic, and the topic will vary from semester to semester. An experimental, innovative approach to the topic will be encouraged. May be repeated for credit if the topics varies.

• Instructor: Andries Fourie
• Offered: Spring | 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

Water Resources (ENVR 327)

This course examines water resources over short- and long-time perspectives and over small and large geographic areas. Emphasis is placed on evaluating water resources from a multidisciplinary perspective. Topics include: surface and groundwater hydrology; water quality; and the legal, political and environmental aspects of water use. General Education Requirement Fulfillment: Writing centered Prerequisite: Consent of instructor

• Instructor: Karen Arabas
• Offered: Spring | 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

Western Civilization and Sustainability: Beginnings to 1600 (HIST 315)

This course is an introduction to the historical roots of sustainability design to examine the thought and practices which have marked interactions between humans and the environment in the West prior to 1600. Focusing on key moments that have contributed significantly to the current context--the transition to agriculture, classical Athens, the later middle ages, and the age of global commerce, colonization, and scientific progress--the course will analyze 'green' versus traditional histories, interpret data about resource use, and analyze primary texts that speak to the human-nature relationship. The course will challenge students to analyze the extent to which our current thought and practices have roots in the historical past, understand humans' relationship to the environment as integral to the narrative of history in the West, analyze traditional historical categories such as periodization, causation, and narrative structure, and use the lens of sustainability to examine how values shape historical narratives. Mode of Inquiry: Thinking Historically

• Instructor: Wendy Petersen-Boring
• Offered: Alternate Falls | 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012

World Geography  (ERTH 230)

Survey of major patterns of physical features, culture and human - land relations by region in today's world. Examples show present and impending resource, environmental, social and political problems and explore basic solutions. Methods include lectures, films, student discussions and presentations, and text and outside readings. Prerequisite: No seniors, except with permission

• Instructors: Peter Eilers, Kimberlee Chambers
• Offered: Annually | 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012