Farrand 2820: The Future of Spaceship Earth: Fall 2013 The Challenge of Creating a Sustainable Future Harding classroom, MWF, 011:00-11:50 p.m. (710) Professor: Chris Lewis Office: 42D Sewall Hall Phone: 492-5878 E-mail: [email protected] Website: http://www.colorado.edu/AmStudies/lewis/sustain/index.htm Office Hours: T: 1:00-3:00; Th 10:00-12:00, 1:00-3:00, and by appointment Sewall Academic Mission: The primary goal of the Sewall Academic Program is to promote critical thinking within the framework of a liberal arts curriculum that emphasizes the interaction between history and culture. To meet this goal, the program offers small, seminar-style classes that foster analytical thought through reading, discussion, and written expression and that require active and consistent student participation. Course Description: These are some of the central questions of this course: Why isn’t our global society sustainable? What is the sustainability crisis? What is a sustainable society? What are the major roadblocks preventing the creation of a sustainable society? How to we protect the global environment, maintain a healthy global economy, and create a sustainable society? How do we design a sustainable economy and society? Required Reading: Paul Gilding, The Great Disruption David Orr, Hope is an Imperative James Speth, The Bridge at the Edge of the World Course Objective: Can we create a Sustainable Future? Are our current national societies and global society and economy sustainable? What do we mean by Sustainability and a Sustainable Future? Can we design a society and economy that is sustainable, democratic, and prosperous? This course uses a broad interdisciplinary approach in order to help students understand the central issues of sustainability and sustainable futures. We will study sustainability through the lens of culture and societal change, political conflict, ecological economics, global environmental issues, globalization and development, ecological design, and a 21st-century liberal arts education. The larger goal of this course is to teach you how to critically analyze, evaluate,and judge competing perspectives on the challenge of creating a sustainable future in the 21st century. If you disagree with an argument or perspective, or find it biased or limited, then say so. If you find the reading difficult, confused, or pointless, then say so. But, in each case, you must be prepared to support your argument and larger conclusions. Class Format: Interactive lectures and class discussions. We will use the assigned readings to critically analyze and evaluate the debate between politicians, environmentalists, scientists, economists, and developers about creating a sustainable future. Make sure you read the assigned readings before each class. Grading: : Grades will be based on quizzes and assignments(15%) , class participation (15%), two take-home midterms (20% each), and a take-home final (30%). I reserve the right to give unannounced quizzes and assignments in class. Content will count most heavily in all written work, but grammar, spelling, and style will also affect your grade. Course grades will be defined in these terms: A—Excellent -- (Thoughtful, coherent, insightful, contributes) B—Good -- (Knows material well, lacks depth, not outstanding) C—Fair -- (Adequate, average, passing, little participation) D—Poor -- (Little understanding, little effort, incoherent) F—Fail -- (No evidence of understanding, no work, no learning) Exams: Exams will be made up of essay questions covering short lectures, class discussion, and reading assignments. Your essays will be graded on how well you use arguments and examples from class discussion and the reading to support your thesis. Instead of memorizing the material, concentrate on learning how to use arguments and examples to address major themes in the debate about the global environment and the American future. If you keep up with the reading and take good class notes, you should have no trouble with the exams. Class Participation and Attendance : Because this is not a lecture course, active class participation is very important. Class participation and class attendance will be a large part of your grade (15%). You must participate activelyin class discussion in order to get a high participation grade. Class attendance is required. You may miss only 7 class periods in a MWF class. Upon your 8th absence, you will automatically fail the course. If there are extenuating circumstances (for example, hospitalization or extended illness), they will be taken into account on a case-by-case basis in implementing the automatic failure provision, providing that you can present evidence/documentation. So please try to attend class regularly. Disruptive Classroom Behavior : This is a college classroom. I will deduct points from your final class grade for behavior that is disruptive to the classroom learning environment. Disruptive behavior includes sleeping, using your cell phone, surfing the web on your computer, playing computer games, checking your e-mail, checking your Facebook, sending and receiving text messages, twittering, listening to your MP3 player, watching DVDs or Netflix movies, reading newspapers, working on another class in this class, planning your day with your daytimer or Blackberry, etc. If after the student is warned, the disruptive behavior persists, I will ask them to leave the classroom for that day. Classroom Behavior: Students and faculty each have responsibility for maintaining an appropriate learning environment. Students who fail to adhere to such behavioral standards may be subject to discipline. Faculty have the professional responsibility to treat all students with understanding, dignity and respect, to guide classroom discussion and to set reasonable limits on the manner in which they and their students express opinions. Professional courtesy and sensitivity are especially important with respect to individuals and topics dealing with differences of race, culture, religion, politics, sexual orientation, gender variance, and nationalities. Class rosters are provided to the instructor with the student's legal name. I will gladly honor your request to address you by an alternate name or gender pronoun. Please advise me of this preference early in the semester so that I may make appropriate changes to my records. See polices at