Urban and Environmental Policy Program
Politics 204
Environmentalism Past, Present And
Future
Spring 2006
Monday and Wednesday 3:30 – 4:55 p.m.
Weingart Center for the Liberal Arts 209
Professor:
Martha Matsuoka
Office hours: Monday and Wednesday. 1:30 – 3:00 p.m. (Room 201, UEPI) and by
appointment
Phone: (323) 259-2971; (323) 293-1919
email: matsuoka@oxy.edu
The
history of environmentalism provides important insight into how social movements
have responded to the powerful changes that have transformed (and continue to
transform) the world around us. Despite its enormous influence as one of the
most significant social movements of the 20th century, the
environmentalism of the 21st century is going through a difficult
period of transition and possible reinvention.
It is a movement that needs to understand the multiple roots of its past,
have a vision about its future, and decide what kind of movement it wants to be.
Is it a scientific or
professional movement, consisting of experts who focus on laws, regulations, and
policies, and on questions of science? Or
is it a grassroots justice movement, most concerned with where we live, work,
and play? How do we define environmental issues?
How does environmental action relate to such issues as war, immigration,
and globalization? What challenges
lie ahead for environmental groups and other groups working for economic and
social change?
This is a course on the past, present, and future of environmentalism. It situates the political and social forces that helped give birth to this new social movement of the 20th century and influence its directions in the 21st century. This course provides the background to understand the significance of the environmental movement and how it has addressed the complex relationships between the environment and a range of other issues and movements. Specifically, the course reviews the roots of environmentalism and its current directions, focusing on the development of environmental ideas, activism and policies, and the evolution of environmentalism as a social movement. The course will pay particular attention to dimensions of race, class, and gender, examining the emergence of the environmental justice movement and its role in understanding the history, present day circumstances, and future direction of the environmental movement.
The
course is designed to be a participatory seminar and involves the following ways
of learning: lectures and class discussions in a seminar format, speakers, and
films. Students will work individually and also in small groups to develop group
presentations and help lead class discussions. There is no formal internship
component to this course; however, students are encouraged to work closely with
community-based organizations to help define their research papers.
Grades
will be based on the following:
1.
Class Participation (25%
of your grade)
Because this is a seminar class, participation and active engagement in class discussions is core to the course and to your grade. Students are expected to do the reading on time, participate in class discussions. Participation in class means of course, that you must attend and that you must be on time.
You should be prepared to discuss assigned readings by class time. Most of the course reading will be found in the books listed below and articles posted on electronic reserve through the library.
2.
Research paper (40% of
grade)
The paper (approximately 10-12 pages in length, although it could be longer) focused on issues/campaigns that are relevant to current environmental issues and activism in Los Angeles. Your research will include at least one interview conversation with the organization so that your research topic is relevant and timely to current work underway in Los Angeles.
Key assignments and due dates:
·
Identify research topic: By
2/8
·
Develop an annotated
bibliography: By 3/22
·
Develop paper outline: By
4/5
·
Paper due:
May 15, 2005 (Finals Week).
Late papers will not be accepted.
3.
Earth
Day Activity and Reflection Paper (15%)
Students
are required to identify/plan and participate in a community event/action
related to Earth Day (either on campus or off) and its principles and submit a
2-4 page paper on the experience. Students are free to choose their
event/activity; I will also have a list of suggestions and ideas.
§
Identify Earth Day
activity/event to participate in: By 4/3
§
Participate in Earth Day
event: Week of April 17th (or event date)
§
Reflection Paper:
Due 4/24
4.
Group Presentation
(20%)
Depending on your research topic, I will organize small groups of related research projects. In these small groups you will discuss your respective research papers/projects, identify common themes, and develop a group presentation (including graphic and visuals) for the class at the end of the semester. Presentations should be approximately 30 minutes; with 15 minutes for question/answer and discussion by the class. Groups will have opportunities to use class time to meet with their group and consult with the professor as well as other groups.
Groups
will receive a grade based on the presentation as well successful completion of
the following tasks:
1.
Meet together to develop a group presentation.
2.
Develop an outline for the group presentation. By
4/10
3.
Develop a 30 minute presentation with relevant visuals and handout
materials. Each group will be required to submit these materials as well as
presentation outline/talking points.
The readings for the course are presented below. Most of the reading material is available on electronic reserve through the library. Forcing the Spring and Silent Spring, are available in the bookstore. NOTE: There are a number of class sessions that will be held jointly with UEP 101. For these sessions, we will meet 4-5:30 at a classroom TBD
Date
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Topics and Readings |
Assignments/ Tasks
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Mon |
Course
Introduction |
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I:
Past: The Roots of Environmentalism |
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Wed 1/25 |
Early
Definitions and Traditions Robert Gottlieb: Forcing the Spring: The Transformation of the American Environmental Movement, Chapter 1 H.
Wayne Morgan: “America’s First Environmental Challenge, 1865-1920”,
in Essays on the Gilded Age, Carter E. Boren et al (editors), pp.
87-108 Ronald
A. Limbaugh: “Introduction: John Muir’s Life and Legacy,” in John
Muir: Life and Work, edited by Sally Miller, pp. 3-13 Samuel
Hays: Conservation and the Gospel of Efficiency, Introduction and
Chapter 13, "The Conservation Movement and the Progressive
Tradition", pp. 1-4; 261-276 Gifford
Pinchot: Breaking New Ground, pp. 344-355 Aldo
Leopold: "The Land Ethic," in A Sand County Almanac, pp.
217-269 Additional
optional reading: Stephen
Fox: John Muir and His Legacy: The American Conservation Movement,
pp. 107-147 (excerpts from Chapter 4 – “Land, Trees and Water”) |
Sign up as discussion leaders for topical areas |
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Mon
1/30 |
The
Industrial and Urban Environment Forcing the Spring, Chapter 2 Martin
Melosi: "Environmental Reform in the Industrial Cities: The Civic
Response to Pollution in the Progressive Era,” in Martin Melosi,
Effluent America: Cities, Industry, Energy, and the Environment, pp.
211-224 David
Rosner and Gerald Markowitz, “Safety and Health as a Class Issue: The
Worker’s Health Bureau of America during the 1920s,” in Dying for
Work: Workers’ Safety and Health in Twentieth Century America,
edited by Rosner and Markowitz, pp. 53-64 |
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Wed
2/1 |
Challenges
to Environmentalism Forcing the Spring, Chapter 3 |
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Mon
2/6
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Rachel
Carson and New Environmentalism Rachel
Carson: Silent Spring |
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Wed
2/8 |
Institutionalization
and Professionalization Forcing the Spring, Chapter 4 Christopher
Bosso and Deborah Lynn Guber, “The Boundaries and Contours of American
Environmental Activism,” Chapter 4 in Environmental Policy: New
Directions for the Twenty-First Century, edited by Norman Vig and
Michael Kraft, pp. 79-101 |
Research
Paper Topic Due |
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Mon
2/13 |
Grassroots
approaches Forcing
the Spring, Chapter
5 Brian Tokar, Earth for Sale: Reclaiming Ecology in the Age of Corporate Greenwash, Chapter 9, “Unifying Movements: Theory and Practice, pp. 175-189 Invited
Speaker: Penny Newman, Center for Community Action and Environmental
Justice/Modesta Avila Coalition |
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Wed
2/15 |
Meet
in Small Groups |
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Mon
2/20 |
HOLIDAY |
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Environmental
Justice - The Movement and Challenges to Mainstream Environmentalism
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Wed
2/22 |
The
Emergence of the EJ Movement Gulf Coast Tenants Organization. “Letter to the Big 10,”January 16, 1990. South West Organizing Project. “Letter to the Big 10,” March 16, 1990 “Principles of Environmental Justice,” Statement adopted by the People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit, 1991 Giovanna Di Chiro. “Nature as Community: The Convergence of Environment and Social Justice,” in Uncommon Ground: Rethinking the Human Place in Nature. William Cronon, editor. pp. 298-306 Robert
Gottlieb, “Livable Regions and Cleaner Production: Linking Environmental
Justice and Pollution Prevention,” in Environmentalism Unbound:
Exploring New Pathways for Change, pp. 47-97 “Timeline
of Environmental Justice in Los Angeles” Strategic Actions for a Just
Economy/UCLA Community Scholars Program. Available at www.environmentaldefense.org.
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Mon 2/27 |
Goals,
Strategies, and Organization of the Movement “Resource Papers: A Synthesis,” Papers produced for the Second National People of Color Environmental Leadership Summit, 2002 Asian Pacic Environmental Network, Communities for a Better Environment, Environmental Health Coalition, People Organizing to Demand Environmental & Economic Rights, Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition/Health and Environmental Justice Project. Building Communities from the Ground Up: Environmental Justice in California Report for the California Endowment. Compiled by Martha Matsuoka. 2003 Not Enough Green To Go Around: Promoting Greater Foundation Support For The Environmental Justice Movement. From: Green of Another Color: Building Effective Partnerships Between Foundations. Environmental Justice Movement. Dr. Daniel R. Faber and Deborah McCarthy. A Philanthropy and Environmental Justice Research Project, Northeastern University. February 16, 2000 |
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Wed 3/1 |
The
EJ Movement and Race Forcing the Spring, Chapter 7 “Why Race Matters in the Fight for a Healthy Planet,” Jennifer Hattam, Sierra Magazine, May/June 2004 Julie
Sze. “Asian American Activism for Environmental Justice,” Peace
Review 16:2, June (2004), 149–156 Luke Cole and Sheila Foster, From the Ground Up: Environmental Racism and the Rise of the Environmental Justice Movement, Chapter 3, “Environmental Racism: Beyond the Distributive Paradigm,” pp. 56-79 |
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Mon
3/6 |
The
EJ Movement, Culture and Human Rights Brenda Norrell. “Policy Debate: Power plants on Navajo land; Indian Country Today. Oneida, N.Y. § Part I. May 25, 2005. Vol 24, Iss. 50; pg. A1 § Part II. “Four Corners’ Silent Killers”May 27, 2006. Vol 24, Iss. 50; pg A1 § Part III. “Nation to control pollution emissions” Jun 8, 2005.Vol. 24, Iss. 52; pg. A-1 Yereth Rosen. “The Arctic Dilemma,” ColorLines Summer 2005. pp 17-20 Mansel G Blackford. “Environmental Justice, Native Rights, Tourism, and Opposition to Military Control: The Case of Kaho’olawe.” The Journal of American History; Sep 2004; 91, 2; Research Library Core. pg. 544 – 571 |
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Wed
3/8 |
The
EJ Movement and Gender Forcing the Spring, Chapter 6 Gwyn Kirk. “Ecofeminism and Chicano Environmental Struggles: Bridges Across Gender and Race.” In Chicano Culture, Ecology, Politics and Subversive Kin. Devon G. Pena, pp 177-200. 1998 Celene
Krauss, “Challenging Power: Toxic Waste Protests and the Politicization
of White, Working Class Women.” In, Nancy Naples (ed). Community
Activism and Feminist Politics: Organizing Across Race, Class and Gender.
New York: Routledge, 1998). Temma
Kaplan, “Uncommon Women and the Common Good: Women and Environmental
Protest.” In, Sheila Rowbotham and Stephanie Linkogle, (eds). Women
Resist Globalization. Barbara
Epstein: "Ecofeminism and Grass-Roots Environmentalism in the United
States", in Toxic Struggles: The Theory and Practice of
Environmental Justice, Edited by Richard Hofrichter, 1993, pp. 144-152 Wangari
Maathai, “Women and the Environment,” in Speak Truth to Power:
Defenders who are changing the world, Kerry Kennedy Cuomo, pp. 38-43 |
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Mon
3/13 Wed
3/15 |
SPRING
BREAK |
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Mon
3/20 |
The
EJ Movement and Workers, Labor Forcing
the Spring, Chapter 8 Brian
Obach, Labor and the Environmental Movement, Chapter 3,
“Labor-Environmental Relations in the United States: A Brief Overview,
pp. 47-81; Chapter 7, “’They’re Good People; You Should Talk to
Them’: The Role of Brokers and Bridges, pp. 203-234 Charles
Levenstein and John Wooding. “Dying
for a Living: Workers, Production and the Environment,” in
The Struggle for Ecological Democracy. Edited by Daniel Faber,
1998, pp. 60-80 |
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3/22
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Reflections
on the State of the Movement SPECIAL
SESSION: 4 - 5:30 Guest Speaker: Mary Nichols, Institute of the Environment, UCLA; President, City of Los Angeles Board of Water and Power Commissioners Forcing the Spring, Conclusion and Epilogue, pp. 389-409] |
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“New”
Arenas for the Environmental Movement
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Wed
3/29 |
Globalization
and Local Struggles “Environmental Health Coalition: Taking Power Back in
the Borderlands,” Globalizing Civil Society from the Inside Out.
Bringing Globalization Home. January
2005 |
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Mon 4/3 |
Struggles
for Land: Gentrification and Community Building Anders Corr. “Tactics and Mobilization: The Primacy of
Power:” in No Trespassing: Squatting, Rent Strikes and Land Struggles
Worldwide, South End Press 1999. pp 145-183 Joselito Laudencia. “Housing is an EJ Issue”. Asian
Pacific Environmental Network 2003 In
the Shadow Of Pollution: Southern California Women on the Front Lines.
Profile of Gilda Haas, Strategic Actions for a Just Economy.
The Women’s Foundation of California. |
Sign up for Earth Day Activity |
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Wed
4/5 |
Economic
Justice and the Environment SPECIAL SESSION:
4:00 – 5:30 p.m. Invited
Speaker: SCOPE and APOLLO Alliance Readings TBD |
Research paper outlines due |
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Mon
4/10 |
Responses
to Global Trade and the Environment SPECIAL SESSION:
4:00 – 5:30 p.m. Invited
Speaker: Jerilyn López Mendoza, Environmental Defense, Vice President,
Harbor Commission, City of Los Angeles. “The
Greening of Ships: Can California Stop Air Pollution Out At Sea?” Judith
Lewis. LA Weekly.
December 16-22, 2005 “Ports
of Cough,” William J. Kelly. LA Weekly.
September 23 – 20, 2005 “Smog
Sick,” LA Weekly. September
23 – 20, 2005 “Gov.’s Growth, Clean Air Plans Said to Clash” Jeffrey Rabin and Deborah Schoch. Los Angeles Times. January 7, 2006 |
Group presentation outlines
due |
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Wed
4/12 |
Health
and the Environment SPECIAL
SESSION 4-5:30 p.m. Guest Speaker:
Romel Pascual, Assistant Director, Environment, Office of the Mayor Readings TBD |
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Mon
4/17 |
The
Military and the Environment SPECIAL
SESSION 4-5:30 Guest
Speaker: Gwyn Kirk, Women for Genuine Security “Environmental Effects of U.S. Military ‘Security’: Gendered Experiences from the Philippines, South Korea and Japan,” Gwyn Kirk. Forthcoming. 2006 |
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Wed
4/19 |
Making the Connections
Class discussion to
integrate course themes across topic areas |
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Mon
4/24 |
Work session to prep for final presentation
Meet in small groups to prepare
Group Presentations
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Reflection Paper: Earth Day
Activity |
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Final
Group Presentations
Depending on the class
size and number of groups, presentations will last 30 minutes with 15
minutes for class question/answer and discussion.
Each group is required to hand in presentation slides/materials,
outlines, talking points and handouts, |
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Wed 4/26
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Group
Presentation |
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Mon 5/1
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Group
Presentation |
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Wed 5/3
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Conclusion/Wrap Up |
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