BIOSM 2025 Coastal Environmental Justice

Course description

This course examines the tenets of Environmental Justice (EJ) with focus on coastal communities around the world. Students will receive an orientation to the history of EJ and define coastal communities, drawing upon global case studies. We will touch on traditional EJ concerns, including climate change, pollution, resource loss, and restricted access to information and representation. We’ll discuss steps that are being taken to counter the emerging crises, drawing from solutions across the policy spectrum, from forced relocation to paying reparations. Students will learn the basic principles and history of EJ, be able to describe the issues faced by coastal residents, understand how climate change affects nearshore habitats and waterfront communities, and have investigated and presented a way forward to the rest of the class.

Outcome 1: Conduct a literature review and synthesize the findings orally or in writing.

Outcome 2: Recognize false arguments and refute them (exercise critical thinking).

Outcome 3: Identify the most significant ecological threats to nearshore marine species and habitats and explain why they are significant in the context of EJ.

Outcome 4: Describe how sea level rise is calculated and projected into the future (where the measurements come from, how projections are calculated).

Outcome 5: Articulate the systemic, historical forces that have led to social inequities along the coast and propose a viable solution to a coastal EJ issue.

Outcome 6: Collaborate successfully with peers within the structure of various classroom exercises through a participatory classroom and respectful group learning environment.

Outcome 7: Write clear, critical reflection and research papers, with proper citations.

Outcome 8: Give public presentations.

Outcome 9: Call upon leaders in EJ, climate change, and marine ecology who they have added to their networks.

Outcome 10: Offer constructive, substantive peer-review.

This is an on-line course.

Previously offered classes