Course Description
Summary
Extreme weather events, rising sea levels, species extinctions, chemical contamination, and uneven human suffering mark the Anthropocene. In this new epoch, humanity’s influence on the Earth system has become a geological and planetary force. Telling stories about planetary and geological change that resonate with people is critically important, yet also deeply challenging. The scale of people’s imaginations, beliefs, and experiences are at odds with scientific findings and projections of the Anthropocene future. Changing the story of the Anthropocene requires knowledge to resonate within existing stories while also transforming the stories people tell about their place in the world. This course utilizes tools and concepts from the social sciences and humanities to examine how stories can be crafted, told, and placed about life in the Anthropocene. The course is divided into three parts. The first provides an introduction to what the Anthropocene is, how it emerged, who is responsible, and what is at risk. The second explores how the social sciences and humanities have engaged with the Anthropocene and sought to craft stories about vulnerability and loss that highlight openings for desirable change. During the third section, two novels will be read and works of art will presented to explore how artists and writers are engaging with the Anthropocene. For the final project, students will be tasked with producing their own creative project to communicate something they care about within the Anthropocene--this could entail a painting, a short story, or a song--along with a brief essay that explains their work.
Terms