Working through a curated set of texts, students explore climate, nature, biodiversity, and other key objects of ecological transition and environmental governance from multiple disciplinary perspectives–the social sciences but informed by the natural sciences, humanities and the arts. They will compare and contrast how these issues are constructed and engaged by different knowledge traditions. By linking different forms of knowledge and disciplinary perspectives that are often studied in isolation, he seminar will develop the interdisciplinary critical thinking capacities essential to assess the systemic interdependencies of society-environment relations.
The seminar cultivates habits of critical thinking and informed, reflexive action, equipping students to understand complex socio-ecological systems, navigate trade-offs, and contribute to the transformation of societies under conditions of ecological constraint. During the seminars, students engage actively with readings from the fundamental courses while complementing them with additional influential texts.
The first two semesters focus on discussion-driven, reading-centered inquiry, encouraging careful analysis, synthesis, and evaluation of evidence and argumentation.
The third semester emphasizes creative writing practices, enabling students to develop as effective communicators of complex systems and
change, translating insights from critical reflection into forms suitable for scholarship, policy, and public engagement.
Learning Outcomes :
The interdisciplinary environmental reading seminars will pursue the following learning outcomes:
1. Share inquiry and collaborative dialogue
Shared inquiry is the act of reasoning together about common texts, questions, and problems. The seminar will advance students’ abilities to develop and pursue meaningful questions in collaboration with others, even in the context of confusion, paradox, and/or disagreement. Through the habits of shared inquiry students will carefully consider and understand the perspectives and reasoned opinions of others, reconsider their own opinions, and develop rhetorical skills.
Students will be able to:
a. Formulate and advance probing questions grounded in textual and empirical evidence, and
b. Engage in sustained, collective inquiry that deepens and broadens perspectives
c. Practice inclusive, respectful, and critically engaged discussion across disciplinary and cultural differences
2. Interdisciplinary critical thinking
Critical thinking in this program is grounded in the process of analysis, evaluation, and synthesis required to engage deeply with texts and arguments from diverse disciplinary and interdisciplinary perspectives.
Through careful reading, attentive listening, and reflective consideration, students will develop the capacity to assess multiple, and often competing, frames of inquiry.
Students are encouraged to question the assumptions and authority of each source, while reflecting on the foundations of their own reasoning.
Students will be able to:
a. Develop systematic strategies to map the key threads of scholarly and public debates surrounding a complex question
b. Evaluate evidence rigorously, assessing sources for assumptions, credibility, context and relevance
c.Draw well-supported conclusions based on comprehensive exploration of evidence and consideration of alternative perspectives.
3. Oral and written communication
Oral and written communication