HIST 2311A: Environmental History of Canada
Fall 2024
Instructor: Amy Fung
Introduction: This course will provide students with Canadian and Indigenous historical contexts for contemporary environmental issues. Students will examine the history of interrelated energy regimes that bridges Canada’s history of resource extraction and how industry shapes environmental laws and policies. Students will be introduced to a variety of sources including Indigenous learning bundles, scholarly articles and chapters, documentaries, policy papers, and general media coverage. They will learn strategies for critical analysis of all sources.
Prior knowledge of Indigenous histories and methodologies is not a prerequisite, but respectful behavior and attitudes toward Indigenous knowledges is non-negotiable.
Class Format: This course is online and asynchronous. There are no set meeting times as new lectures will be released each week along with supplementary online content. Weekly reminders will be sent via Brightspace/email and discussion boards are available for further analysis of course materials including readings, documentaries, and topical news media items.
Weekly engagement can be conducted on the student’s own schedule, but it is highly encouraged to keep up week to week as best as one can.
Aims and Goals: The content of this course encourages students to understand the history of Canada’s environmental policies are intertwined with Indigenous histories of resistance to displacement and food and water insecurity. The goal of this course is to understand the epistemological differences between settler state and Indigenous approaches to environmental engagement.
Assessment: This course assesses student engagement via a series of short written reflections, open book pop quizzes, and a final take home assignment. All quiz material will be drawn from weekly lectures and course readings, while written assignments and the final will encourage students to demonstrate their reading comprehension and critical thinking skills.
Text: All course materials will be available via Brightspace.
Questions? Please email me at: amyfung@cunet.carleton.ca