ENVR 253 | Topics in Environmental Justice

This course explores current real world problems of environmental justice -- the struggle of marginalized communities to manage profound environmental problems in ways that are often rendered invisible in the broader political landscape. The focus of the course will vary each time it is offered, depending on current debates and issues of concern in the greater Tacoma area and further afield. Consistently, it will explore the ways in which poverty and racism interact with problems of natural resource use, extraction, and management. This will include, but is not limited to, air and water pollution, toxic chemicals, infrastructure, human and environmental health, and land rights. To do this, the course draws on community-based and interdisciplinary expertise to enrich understanding of these complex issues from multiple perspectives and through different kinds of knowledge. It will also address strategies for activism and involvement in environmental issues.