College Seminar (101-7-3)
Instructors
Joseph S Walsh
847/491-5098
Hogan Hall, Room 6-110A
Meeting Info
Technological Institute L168: Tues, Thurs 3:30PM - 4:50PM
Overview of class
One of the major challenges of our changing world is the loss of biological diversity. An overwhelming majority of people agree that we should work to save biodiversity, but their views are largely based on vague, positive feelings about nature rather than concrete justifications. This course investigates those concrete justifications. The first half of the course sketches out the argument for preserving biodiversity (i.e., "thinking globally"). The second half of the course focuses on the practice of ecological restoration in forest preserves a few miles from campus (i.e., "acting locally") not merely as a way to preserve biodiversity, but as a path to redefining a sustainable relationship between nature and culture. The readings for the course range from classics of environmental writing to recent research papers in the primary scientific literature. Biodiversity also needs to be experienced directly, so we will take a field trip to a local forest preserve where we will roll up our sleeves and help restore a native habitat and see how much biodiversity means to the people with whom we live and work.
Teaching Method
In class discussion
Evaluation Method
Participation in and leadership of group discussions accounts is 30% of the grade. Written assignments account for the remainder, in proportion to their length. There are 5 writing assignments that total 17 pages: a 2-page essay based on an encounter with local nature; a 4-page research paper on E.O. Wilson's "biophilia" hypothesis; a 4-page research paper based on technical scientific literature describing how biodiversity affects ecosystem function; a 2-page newspaper editorial; a 5-page synthetic essay on ecological restoration. *The field trip is required.* You cannot pass the course without the field trip. There will be a limited menu of 2 or 3 options; field trips occur on Saturdays and Sundays from 8:30A-12:30P.
Class Materials (Required)
We will read selections from the following two required books:
Aldo Leopold. 1966. A Sand County Almanac, with Essays on Conservation from Round River. ISBN 0345345053 Paperback from $11.95
William K. Stevens. 1995. Miracle Under the Oaks: The Revival of Nature in America.ISBN 0671780425 paperback from $25.21. Papers from the scientific primary literature will be made available online.
Class Notes
Field trip attendance is mandatory.* There will be a limited menu of options.
Class Attributes
WCAS College Seminar