Gateway Seminar. Exploration of human relationships with the natural world from prehistory to the present. Course examines the discovery of fire, the domestication of plants and animals, the extraction of minerals and energy, the design of petrochemicals, and the result – splitting of atoms along with waste left behind. We pay particular attention to environmental impacts ranging from deforestation to glacial melting, and consider linkages to broader cultural processes, like religion, colonialism, and (anti)capitalism. Seminar uses case studies, hands-on activities, and collaborative research to demonstrate the application of historical knowledge to societal problems.
History