ENV 375 CROSSING THE CLIMATE CHANGE DIVIDE€¦ · CROSSING THE CLIMATE CHANGE DIVIDE Professor...
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ENV 375 p. 1 ENV 375 CROSSING THE CLIMATE CHANGE DIVIDE Professor Meera Subramanian Fall 2019 Office: PEI Guyot Hall, Rm M44 W 1:30pm – 4:20pm Office Hours: Wed. 9:00am – 11:00am and by appointment Location: Jones Hall 102 E-mail: [email protected] Cross-listing: ENG275, JRN375 “The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie—deliberate, contrived, and dishonest—but the myth—persistent, persuasive, and unrealistic…. We subject all facts to a prefabricated set of interpretations. We enjoy the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.” - John F. Kennedy Description The effects of climate change are here, now. Yet Americans are divided on this singular issue. Or are they? While media often portray climate change debates as binary—fact-averse conservative denialists vs. Green-New-Deal leftists—the reality is that all Americans are experiencing changes in their own backyards. For some it is the impact of devastating extreme events such as wildfires or storm flooding; for others, it is noticing quieter shifts such as when spring blooms and birds arrive. How they process and understand these changes will be the focus of our semester.
Transcript of ENV 375 CROSSING THE CLIMATE CHANGE DIVIDE€¦ · CROSSING THE CLIMATE CHANGE DIVIDE Professor...
ENV 375 p. 1
ENV 375
CROSSING THE CLIMATE CHANGE DIVIDE
ProfessorMeeraSubramanian Fall2019Office:PEIGuyotHall,RmM44 W1:30pm–4:20pmOfficeHours:Wed.9:00am–11:00amandbyappointment Location:JonesHall102E-mail:[email protected] Cross-listing:ENG275,JRN375
“Thegreatenemyofthetruthisveryoftennotthelie—deliberate,contrived,anddishonest—butthemyth—persistent,persuasive,andunrealistic….Wesubjectallfactstoaprefabricatedsetofinterpretations.Weenjoythecomfortofopinionwithoutthediscomfortofthought.”
-JohnF.Kennedy
Description Theeffectsofclimatechangearehere,now.YetAmericansaredividedonthissingularissue.Orarethey?Whilemediaoftenportrayclimatechangedebatesasbinary—fact-averseconservativedenialistsvs.Green-New-Dealleftists—therealityisthatallAmericansareexperiencingchangesintheirownbackyards.Forsomeitistheimpactofdevastatingextremeeventssuchaswildfiresorstormflooding;forothers,itisnoticingquietershiftssuchaswhenspringbloomsandbirdsarrive.Howtheyprocessandunderstandthesechangeswillbethefocusofoursemester.
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JournalistandVisitingProfessorSubramaniantraveledacrossthecountrycollectingclimatechangestoriestoldbyconservativefarmers,ranchers,dogsledders,evangelicalChristians,andothers,manyofwhomdependonclimate-relatedindustriesfortheirlivelihood.Drawingonherworkalongwithawiderangeofbooksandarticles,we’llexplorewhyfactsalonecanfailandhowpolitical,economic,socio-cultural,andreligiousbeliefsshapetheclimatedebateforpeoplefarawayfromacademia.Theideologicaldividebetweenthepoliticalleft,whichgenerallyacceptsthescientificconsensusthatclimatechangeishappeningandhuman-caused,andthepoliticalright,whichisoftenmoreskepticalofthescienceoraboutthehumanroleinanychanges,hasvarieddramaticallyoverthepastthirtyyears.Wewilllikelyseecontinuedchanges…evenastheclassisunderway.Wewilllearnabouthowandwhythispendulumhasswung,thinkingabouthowthecomplicatedworldofscientificfindingsrelatestotheeverydaylivesofpeoplewiththeirownstories,concernsandbeliefsystems.Asweexplorethenuancesandcomplexitiesabouthowpeoplethink(ordon’t)aboutclimatechange,wewillexploretheroleempathyandcompassionplay(ordon’t)inunderstandingthepowerofpeople’sownnarratives.Wewillalsoturnthelensuponourownculturalbiases.Iexpectyoutoengagewiththereadingsandclassdiscussionsinameaningfulway,respondingtothemwithyourheartandheadboth,andbeabletoarticulateyourthoughts.Atitscore,thisseminarisaninvestigationofhowweformopinionsabouttheworldweinhabitandhowthoseopinionsinteractwithothers’views,aswellashowandwhenmindsgetchangedaboutthesefundamentalissues.
Required Reading Books:
• BillMcKibben,TheEndofNature• AndrewJ.Hoffman,HowCultureShapestheClimateChangeDebate• MichaelMannandTomToles,MadhouseEffect:HowClimateChangeDenialis
ThreateningOurPlanet,DestroyingOurPolitics,andDrivingUsCrazy• NaomiOreskesandErik.M.Conway,MerchantsofDoubt• ArlieRussellHochschild,StrangersinTheirOwnLand:AngerandMourningonthe
AmericanRight• EarlSwift,ChesapeakeRequiem:AYearwiththeWatermenofVanishingTangierIsland• ElizabethRush,Rising:DispatchesfromtheNewAmericanShore• CandisCallison,HowClimateChangeComestoMatter:TheCommunalLifeofFacts• MitchHescoxandPaulDouglas,CaringforCreation:TheEvangelical’sGuidetoClimate
ChangeandAHealthyEnvironment• PopeFrancis,EncyclicalonClimateChange&Inequality:OnCareforOurCommon
HomeOtherreadingswillbeavailableonBlackboard.
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Learning Outcomes Inthiscourse,youwilllearnaboutthecurrentscientificconsensusonclimatechangeandthewaysthatpeoplecometoaccept,reject,ignore,orwrestlewithsuchscience.Youwilllearnaboutthespecificwaysthatclimatechangeisimpactingcommunitiestoday,andhowthosecommunitiesareresponding.Intheprocess,youwillanalyzeandcontextualizetheirbeliefswithinhistoric,economic,socio-cultural,andreligiousframeworks,gainingabetterunderstandingofthereasonsforthecurrentculturaldivideabouttheissueofclimatechange,especiallybetweenconservativeandliberalAmericansandamongthewiderangeofpeoplewhofallsomewherebetweenthepoles.
Course Content Warning Inthisclasswewillbeexploringfundamentalbeliefsystemsthatshapepeople’sworldviewswhileexploringourownvaluesandbeliefs.Wewillapproachtheinquirywithacombinationofcriticalintelligenceandsensitivity,whileunderstandingthatconfrontingdifficultargumentsandchallengingtextsiscriticaltoourworkinthehumanities.Pleasefeelfreetomeetwithmeduringofficehourstodiscussanydifficultpersonalreactionsyoumighthave(oranticipatehaving)toourreadingsordiscussions.
Requirements 1. AttendanceandParticipation(15%).Thiscourseisrunasaconversation.Please
cometoeachseminarwithathoroughcomprehensionofthereadingandbepreparedtodiscussit.Bringphysicalcopiesofthereadingtoclasseachday.Youwillnotbeabletoparticipatefullywithoutthetextinhand.Studentswithmorethanoneortwounexcusedabsencesshouldexpectpoorclassparticipationgrades.Activeparticipation,whichmeansspeakingaswellasengagedlisteningtoothers,isrewarded.
2. Weeklyreadingresponses(10%).Eachweek,inresponsetothereading(s)fortheupcomingclass,youwillwriteonepage,single-spaced,dueat5pmonthedaybeforeclass.Thisallowstimeforeveryonetoreadeachother’sresponsesbeforeclassthenextday.Itshouldbeclearandgrammaticallycorrect,butitshouldalsobeinformalandconversational,likeanemailorablogpost.ThegoalisNOTtosummarizethereading(s)buttointeractwithandrespondtothem,exploringyourcriticismsoragreements,questionstheyinspiredorotherideasthatyouwereremindedof,perhapsfromotherclasses.BeinspiredbythewordsofauthorJoanDidion:“IwriteentirelytofindoutwhatI'mthinking,whatI'mlookingat,whatIseeandwhatitmeans.WhatIwantandwhatIfear.”Contentisnotgradedbutyouwillreceivecreditforpostingandlosecreditforfailingtodoso.Pleasetitleyourresponseeachweekwith“YourName”and"Response1"/"Response2"eg:"MegTaingResponse3".PleasecutandpasteyourresponseasapostontheBlackboardDiscussionBoardand
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donotuploadyourresponseasaworddoc,asthatpreventsprintingoutalltheresponsesatonce.
3. OralPresentation(10%).Eachstudentwillberesponsibleforleadingthediscussiononaparticularbookorsetofreadings.Itshouldbeshort(5-7minuteslong),statingthetopic,notingkeytermsused,andexplainingthemainargumentstheauthor(s)made.Pleasealsofindacomplementarypiece(itcouldbeabookreview,scientificpapercitedinthereading,acritique,aparallelpieceonthesamesubjectbutbyadifferentwriter,orevenapodcastorvideo)andspeakaboutitsconnectiontothereading(s).PleasepostthiscomplementarypiecetoBlackboardby8pmtwodaysbeforeclassincaseyourfellowstudentswouldliketoread/listen/watchit,althoughtheyarenotrequiredto.Alsohaveafewquestionspreparedfortheclasstoinitiatetheconversation.Therewillalsobeaninformalpresentationaboutthefinalpaperwhileitisinprocess.
4. MidtermExam(25%):one-hour,in-classexamconsistingofwrittenone-paragraphanswers.
5. FinalPaper(40%):Referringbacktoyourweeklyresponses,thinkaboutwhichpartoftheclasshasinspiredthemostcuriosity.Hereisyourchancetotakethisinterestandexpanduponit.Thefinalpapercantaketheformofacreativeessaydrawingonpersonalexperienceoritcanbeanacademicresearchpaper.Itshouldbe12-14pp,double-spaced.Aone-page(single-spaced)prospectusofyourpieceisdueonDec.4,providingthegeneralshapeofyourpieceandthesourcesitwilldrawupon.ThefinalpaperisdueonJan.14,2020at11:59pm
Grading AttendanceandClassParticipation: 15%WeeklyReadingResponses: 10%OralPresentation: 10%MidtermExam: 25%FinalPaper: 40%
Grading for Papers Paperswillbegradedinlightoforganization,spellingandgrammar,argument,evidence,andstyle:A:Superb.Paperiselegantandclearlyorganized,containsnogrammaticalorspellingerrors,presentsaclearandconvincingthesis,whichissupportedbyrelevantevidence.Moreover,thisthesiscontainsoriginalinsightsandprovocations.A-:Excellent.Paperisclearlywrittenandorganized,containsnomorethanoneortwogrammaticalorspellingerrors,presentsaclearandconvincingthesis,whichissupportedbyrelevantevidence.B+:Verygood.Paperiswellwrittenandtolerablywellorganized,containsnomorethanafewgrammaticalorspellingerrors,presentsaclearandconvincing,thoughfairlypredictablethesis,supportedbyreliableevidence.
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B:Verygood.Paperisadequatelywrittenandmaybesomewhathaphazardlyorganized,containsnomorethanafewgrammaticalorspellingerrors,presentsaclear,thoughperhapsfairlypredictablethesissupportedbysomeevidence.B-:Good.Paperisnotparticularlywellwrittenandmaybesomewhathaphazardlyorganized,containsahandfulormoreofgrammaticalorspellingerrors,presentsathesisthatiseitherunclearorunconvincingorbothsupportedbysomeevidence.C+andbelow:Subpar.Paperisdifficulttoreadandtofollow,containsvariousgrammaticalorspellingerrors,presentsnoclearthesis.
Late Papers/Makeup Exams Policy Themidtermexamwillnotberescheduled.Ifthefinalpaperishandedinlate,itwillbemarkeddownonethirdofalettergradeforeachdayorportionofadayitislate.Pleaseletmeknowifyouwillbelate.Exceptionsonlyforillnesswithdoctor'snoteordeath/sicknessinthefamily.
Plagiarism: Don’t Do It. InkeepingwithPrincetonUniversity'spolicies,plagiarismwillbepenalizedseverely.Don'tdoit.PleaseknowthatIrefercasesofsuspectedacademicmisconducttotheDean'sOffice,andfollowPrinceton’sHonorCode:https://odoc.princeton.edu/curriculum/academic-integrity
Electronic Devices in the Classroom: No Cell Phones or Laptops Inthiscourse,youmaynotusealaptop,tablet,smartphone,oranyotherelectronicdeviceduringclass,unlessitisspecificallyforapresentationofmultimediatotheentireclass.Pleasedonottakethiscourseifyouarenotwillingtofollowthispolicy.Whythisrule?Thiscourseisrunasaconversationandconversationsrequireeveryonetobefullyengaged.Foraysonlineorontoyourcellphonedistracttothosearoundyouandyourinstructors.Thereisnowalotscientificresearchprovingthatmultitaskingisimpossible;whenwethinkwearemultitaskingwearejusttogglingbackandforthfromonetasktoanotherandbecomingunproductiveateach.AStanfordstudyshowedthatthosewhomultitaskmorerememberless.AnotherstudyshowedthattheIQsofpeoplewhofieldedemailsandphonecallsdroppedby10points—morethandoublethedropattributedtosmokingpot.Otherstudiesdemonstratethatstudentswhotakenotesbyhandretainfarmorethanthosewhotakenotesonalaptop,inpartbecausetheactofwritingnotesbeginstheprocessofsiftingtheinformation(ratherthanmerelywritingitdownlikeastenographer).See,e.g.,SeeAdamGorlick,“MediaMultitaskersPayMentalPrice,StanfordStudyShows,”StanfordNews,August24,2009,http://news.stanford.edu/news/2009/august24/multitask-research-study-082409.html;andPeterBregman,“How(andWhy)toStopMultitasking,”HBRBlogNetwork,May20,2010,http://blogs.hbr.org/2010/05/how-and-why-to-stop-multitaski/;CindiMay,“ALearningSecret:Don’tTakeNotesWithaLaptop,”ScientificAmerican,June3,2014,
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https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/a-learning-secret-don-t-take-notes-with-a-laptop/.
Illness Weallwanteveryonetostayashealthyaspossible,sopleasestayhomeandtakecareofyourselfifyouareill,evenifyouthinkyou’re“overit.”Letmeknowbyemailme.Butpleasedonotusetheexcuseofillnessasanopportunitytoskipclass,becauseyoumaybecomeilllater,andthatwillentailmissingtoomanyclasses.Regularclassattendanceismandatory.
Disability Accommodations StudentswithdisabilitieswhoneedaccommodationsshouldspeakwithmedirectlyaswellascontactPrinceton’sOfficeofDisabilityServicesforguidelinesandassistance:https://ods.princeton.edu/
Class Schedule and Assignments:
SECTION ONE: Introduction
Week 1 / Sept. 11: Introduction: Getting our Bearings • Reading:• BillMcKibben,TheEndofNature(Labyrinth)• IPCCGlobalWarming1.5 °Creport,SummaryforPolicymakers(Blackboard)
Week 2 / Sept. 18: When Science and Stories Clash
• Reading:• AndrewJ.Hoffman,HowCultureShapestheClimateChangeDebate(Labyrinth)• YaleCenteronClimateChangeCommunicationreport“ClimateChangeinthe
AmericanMind,”2018(Blackboard)• GuestspeakerviaSkype:EdMaibach,GeorgeMasonCenterforClimate
CommunicationWeek 3 / Sept. 25: Shifting Positions
• Reading:• MichaelMannandTomToles,MadhouseEffect:HowClimateChangeDenialis
ThreateningOurPlanet,DestroyingOurPolitics,andDrivingUsCrazy(Labyrinth)• AdamFrank,“WhenIsItOKForScientistsToBecomePolitical?”NPR(Blackboard)
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• LarryBartelsandKatherineCramer,“Whitepeoplegetmoreconservativewhentheymoveup—notdown—economically.Here’stheevidence,”WashingtonPost(Blackboard)
SECTION TWO: Connecting the Dots
Week 4 / Oct. 2: Agnotology: Culturally Induced Ignorance• Reading:• NaomiOreskesandErik.M.Conway,MerchantsofDoubt,Introductionpp.1-9,Ch.1
pp.10-35,Ch.4pp.107-135,Ch.6pp.169-215,Conclusionpp.240-265,Epiloguepp.266-274(Labyrinth)
• Optionalreading:• NathanielRich,“LosingEarth:TheDecadeWeAlmostStoppedClimateChange,”The
NewYorkTimes(Blackboard)
Week 5 / Oct. 9: Finding Middle Ground • Watch:• “VanJonesIgnitesConversationforClimateChange”(YouTube)• Reading:ChooseanyfiveofMeera’spieces:• MeeraSubramanian,"’It’sGoingtoEndwithMe':TheFateofGulfFisheriesina
WarmingWorld,”InsideClimateNews(Blackboard)• MeeraSubramanian,“TheyKnowSeasAreRising,butThey'reNotAbandoningTheir
BelovedCapeCod,”InsideClimateNews(Blackboard)• MeeraSubramanian,“TheFlashDroughtBroughtMisery,butDidItChangeMindson
ClimateChange?”InsideClimateNews(Blackboard)• MeeraSubramanian,“Fly-fishingonMontana'sBigHoleRiver,SignsofClimate
ChangeareEverywhere,”InsideClimateNews(Blackboard)• MeeraSubramanian,“WindPowerMeansJobsinTexas,andPartisanPoliticsIsn't
GoingtoStopIt,”InsideClimateNews(Blackboard)• MeeraSubramanian,“AsSnowDisappears,AFamilyofDogsledRacersinWisconsin
Can'tAgreeWhy,”InsideClimateNews(Blackboard)• MeeraSubramanian,“InGeorgia'sPeachOrchards,WarmWintersRaiseSpecterof
ClimateChange,”InsideClimateNews(Blackboard)• GuestspeakerviaSkype:MeeraSubramanian(!)
Week 6 / Oct. 16: Building “Empathy Bridges”
• Reading:• ArlieRussellHochschild,StrangersinTheirOwnLand(Labyrinth)• Optionalreading:• CharlesDuhigg,“TheRealRootsofAmericanRage,”TheAtlantic(Blackboard)
Week 7 / Oct. 23: Midterm Exam
• NoReadings
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• Mid-termexam• Opendiscussionandbrainstormfinalpaperideas.Comewithideas.
FALL RECESS
SECTION THREE: View from the Water’s Edge
Week 8 / Nov. 6: Vanishing Landscapes • Reading:• EarlSwift,ChesapeakeRequiem:AYearwiththeWatermenofVanishingTangier
Island,Introductionpp.1-6,PartOnepp.7-93,PartFivepp.325-378(Labyrinth)• Optionalreading:• TherestofChesapeakeRequiem
Week 9 / Nov. 13: Should I Stay or Should I Go?
• Reading:• ElizabethRush,Rising:DispatchesfromtheNewAmericanShore(Labyrinth)• GuestspeakerviaSkype:ElizabethRush
SECTION FOUR: Voices & Assumptions
Week 10 / Nov. 20: An Ethical Question • Reading:• CandisCallison,HowClimateChangeComestoMatter:TheCommunalLifeofFacts,
Intro,Ch.1,Ch.2,(NOTCh.3),Ch.4,Ch.5,Epilogue(Labyrinth)• JohnBroome’sTannerLecture:“ThePublicandPrivateMoralityofClimateChange,”
availableasaPDFincoursematerialsoralsolinkedhere:Tannerlecture.• GuestspeakerKianMintz-Woo,postdoctoralresearchassociateatPrinceton
Universitywhoworksonmoralphilosophy,boththeoreticalandappliedtoclimatechangepolicy
Thanksgiving recess Week 11 / Dec. 4: What, If Anything, Would Jesus Do?
• Prospectusforfinalpaperdue• Reading:• PopeFrancis,EncyclicalonClimateChange&Inequality:OnCareforOurCommon
Home(Labyrinth)• MitchHescoxandPaulDouglas,CaringforCreation:TheEvangelical’sGuidetoClimate
ChangeandAHealthyEnvironment(Labyrinth)
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• MeeraSubramanian,“GenerationClimate:CanYoungEvangelicalsChangetheClimateDebate?”InsideClimateNews(Blackboard)
• MeeraSubramanian,“SeeingGod’sHandintheDeadlyFloods,YetWonderingaboutClimateChange,”InsideClimateNews(Blackboard)
• Optionalreading:
• CandisCallison,HowClimateChangeComestoMatter:TheCommunalLifeofFacts,Intro,Ch.3
• Guestspeaker:MichelleFrazer,Ph.D.studentinthePrograminAtmosphericandOceanicSciences,Princeton
Week 12 / Dec. 11: Conclusion: Moving Forward in A Warming World
• Finalpresentationsandclosingdiscussionandcelebration!
FINAL PAPER DUE DATE: Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2020 11:59pm
