HST 470D Winter 2008Dr. Max G. Geiergeierm@wou.edu

http//www.wou.edu/~geierm/Office: Maaske 221

Office Hrs: M 12-1, W 12-2, R 1-2 or by appointment

On-line Syllabus and contacts• See syllabus to access my webpage at

http://www.wou.edu/~geierm/

• On-line version of Syllabus is on my webpage under

“Current Courses” link to HST 470D

Note the link to on-line versions of the student code of conduct and campus/division policies on academic honesty

Course Objectives• There are no prerequisites for this course, which is open to any interested

student. – HST 470 is one of two courses required as core elements of the Environmental

Studies Minor. – It also fulfills the methods/topics, world, or U.S. requirements of the History Major

or Minor. – It examines the history of human interaction with and perceptions of the natural

environment from prehistory through the present, with a focus in the latter half of the course on the global transformations of thought and industry that accompanied the scientific revolution and imperial expansion of Western Europe and the United States through the modern era.

• Students in this course will develop skills of critical reading and analysis through directed work in assigned, secondary sources, and by regular participation in daily class discussions.

• Individual projects will introduce students to the historical method of scholarly inquiry in original sources and secondary materials on topics of particular interest, and will guide each student through the process of constructing a scholarly, analytical narrative addressing that topic.

• There are no pre-requisites for this course, other than an energetic curiosity and an interest in participating in an informed discussion of environmental issues in historical context.

REQUIRED TEXTS

• There are 5 required texts, which we will refer to in class discussions by using the last name of the leading author or editor:

• 1. Rampolla• 2. Steinberg• 3. Richards• 4. McNeill• 5. Fernández-

Armesto

Required Texts• Mary Lynn Rampolla, A Pocket Guide to Writing in History (5th

ed.) (Boston: Bedford/ St. Martin’s, 2007)

• Felipe Fernandez-Armesto. Civilization: Culture, Ambition, and the Transformation of Nature. NY: Simon & Schuster, 2001.

• John F. Richards. The Unending Frontier: An Environmental History of the Early Modern World. Berkely: U of CA Press, 2005.

• Ted Steinberg. Down to Earth: Nature’s Role in American History. NY: Oxford University Press, 2002.

• J.R. McNeill. An Environmental History of the Twentieth-Century World. NY: WW Norton, 2000.

Additional Resources• Required Journal: Environmental History—available for reading in

Hamersly Library—needed for article review requirement. A limited range of recent copies are available in full-text version on-line (see ASEH gateway, below), but the full-run of the journal in hard-copy includes a much wider range of articles directly relevant to this course.

• Recommended Reference Work: Shepard Krech III, J.R. McNeill, Carolyn Merchant, eds. Encyclopedia of world environmental history. New York: Routledge, 2004. Call No. GF10.E63 2004 (3 vol. set)

• Recommended on-line gateways:• http://www.aseh.net/ This is the website for the American Society for

Environmental History—it includes links to on-line versions of the journal Environmental History, as well as other relevant sites

• http://www.foresthistory.org/index.html This is the link to the Forest History Society, which is the sponsoring agency publishing the journal, Environmental History, and it includes links to other relevant research tools and resources

• http://www.h-net.org/~environ/ This is the link to the H-Environment Discussion Network, and it includes links to other sites and resources

• http://eseh.org/ This is the link to the European Society for Environmental History, and it includes links to numerous other resources relating to global environmental history (click on the “resources” tab for a listing arranged by continent—Asia, North and South Americas, Africa, Australia and New Zealand, as well as country-by-country listings for European organizations.

Required Products: • There is NO Midterm Exam in this class• Article Reviews (total of two): 10% of total for the course

– Brief essays of about 500 words each (1 page single-spaced) formally reviewing an article from Environmental History. See Rampolla for guidelines on writing brief reviews, OR

– Optional 10-minute oral presentation instead of written review• Discussion Assignments and Class Participation: a combined total of 25% of

total for the course, based on:– Quality of “points of interest” volunteered for general discussion (relevance)– Responsiveness to questions and discussions regarding assigned material– Regular attendance and engaged/active listening

• Analysis Papers: 25% of total for the course—3 of 5 required on due dates indicated. Article reviews are due on the other 2 dates.– Analysis Papers are thematic discussions of assigned readings, responsive to

discussion questions posed for each week of readings.– Brief (1000-1500 words, or about 2-3 pp. single-spaced), formal essays synthesizing

material from two weeks of the course

• Final Exam: 25% of total for the course, comprehensive, essay format, with matching identification section

• Term Project: 15% of total for the course. 12-15 pp. formal paper, completed in three stages: prospectus, progress report, and final draft.

Discussion Assignments• Each week, the instructor assigns each student a particular section of

the assigned readings on which to focus for the next week of the course.

• Each student is expected to be prepared to raise at least two “points of interest” for the class to consider from that chapter of the assigned readings.

• These “points of interest” are the focus of further discussion involving other students and the instructor. The student assigned primary responsibility should be prepared to explain and elaborate on the points of interest that they raise.

• Things to consider for these “points of interest”:• what is the central thesis of the chapter and how does it relate to the thematic

questions posed on the syllabus?• in what way does this author’s interpretation compare with, or contrast with other

assigned readings?• what is the nature of the evidence the author is presenting? What are the most

effective examples?• what is the nature of the sources the author has consulted? What are inherent or

overt biases of those sources?

• ALL students are expected to be familiar with ALL readings assigned each week, and to be prepared to respond to presentations

Guidelines forAnalysis PapersEach analysis paper is a thematic, written discussion of readings assigned for the 2-week unit, with emphasis on the two chapters specifically assigned for in-class presentation during those two weeks.

Basic Steps:• Draft an introductory thesis paragraph for the analysis paper that directly

addresses one or more of the primary discussion themes for those two weeks of the course

• Identify and explain the central arguments of the two assigned chapters as they relate to that thesis, and the nature of the evidence and sources on which the author(s) rely in making those arguments

• relate those materials to other assigned readings and discussion themes for those two weeks, and to ongoing themes of the course as presented in previous readings, lectures, and discussions.

– Each paragraph of the subsequent discussion should include a clear topic sentence that introduces the reader to the central purpose of that paragraph *and* relates the material in that paragraph to the thesis for the paper

– Each paragraph should support its central themes and ideas with specific examples and evidence drawn from appropriate required readings from that 2-week unit of the course. All such evidence, examples, and ideas should be properly cited, following the standard footnoting guidelines as explained in the Rampolla text.

– Commentary should be limited to 2-3 single-spaced, typed pages (approximately 1000-1500 words)

Guidelines for Term Projects

General scope of the project: a three-stage process producing a final, thematic paper of approximately 12 pages in length that focuses on the historical context of a particular issue of interest to you and directly relevant to the central theme and focus of this course (see course objectives and outline for course parameters, chronology, and themes).

Specific stages in the project: There are three phases in the term project and each includes a product that must be completed with a satisfactory (passing) grade before the product for the next phase will be accepted Each interim product is intended to build a component of that final project.

• Phase One: “What is the topic?”—selection of a topic and preparation of a prospectus (product 1),

• Phase Two: “How have other scholars approached this topic or related topics?”

• Phase Three: “What is the range of contemporary writing on this topic and how does it relate to historical trends in thinking about this and related issues?”—

Academic Honesty Policy • All written products must fully cite any and all sources referenced,

quoted, or otherwise consulted in the course of generating or developing ideas for these assignments. (i.e. Use Footnotes!)

• Students are expected to familiarize themselves with, and adhere to the WOU student code of conduct and the Social Science Division policy on academic dishonesty in all matters pertaining to this class.

Student code of conduct (see course syllabus for hyperlink):http://www.wou.edu/student/csr.php

• Penalties for violating academic honesty guidelines include failure in this course

Policy on Academic Dishonesty (see syllabus for hyperlink):http://www.wou.edu/las/socsci

• Violations are subject to review at the campus level, as detailed in the student code of conduct.

Statement on Disabilities

Students with documented disabilities who may need accommodations, who have any emergency medical information the instructor should be aware of, or who need special arrangements in the event of evacuation, should make an appointment with the instructor as early as possible, and no later than the first week of the term. For more information on services and support available on this campus, interested students should contact the Office of Disability Services (838-8250v/tty) in the AP 405.

Statement on Cell Phones & Other Electronic Devices

Cellphones should be turned off before class begins, and they should remain off during class.

Use of electronic devices during class is prohibited unless previously authorized, in writing, by the instructor. Violations will be referred to the dean of student’s office.

Recording images or voices of people without the knowledge and permission of the person being recorded is a violation of law and is prohibited in this class. Violations will be referred to the dean of students office.

Before Next Meeting (Wednesday)• Read the entire syllabus (all 4 pages)• Purchase required texts• Read assignment for this first week:

Week #1 Readings (Read for AP#1): Rampolla, pp. .6-9, 14-17, 25-37, 43-68, 88-95; 100-104, 133-138; Steinberg, pp. 3-20McNeill, pp. xxi-xxvi, 3-18Richards, pp. 1-14Fernández-Armesto, pp. 3-17

• Review the range of material assigned for next week (week #2 readings) and choose one section of readings for which you would prefer to be assigned primary responsibility

• Browse through the suggested websites and examine the reference work (Encyclopedia of World Environmental History) for ideas about term project

Themes for Week 1 (week of Tues. 8 January 2008):

History Without Borders: Human Nature and Natural Worlds Through Time Discussion Questions:

- How do these authors compare/contrast in their approach to environmental history? What are their priorities and/or biases?

- How did the natural world influence what people perceived to be natural and how they acted as a result?

- What is the relation between ideas about nature and human strategies of production and settlement? Political entities?

History Without Borders: Human Nature and Natural WorldsA. Problem of scope, focus & methodology in Environmental History

1. Inherent and overt biases of evidence2. “environmental consciousness” and knowing the past 3. mechanisms of cause-and-effect4. What is “good” or “bad” in nature?

B. Historical method and theory (disciplinary goals) 1. Explorations of cause-and-effect/contingency2. Chronology/geography defined to maintain context/relevance3. Emphasis on experiences of people in relation to their

perceptions of & effect on their surroundings4. Change over time (significance as a function of implications

for subsequent events, decisions, priorities)5. Regional variation and variability of intent

(diverse/dynamic/changing contexts)• Airplane travel and jets/space/time• Foot travel and zones of transition

History Without Borders: Human Nature and Natural Worlds

A. Environmental history vs history of environmentalism 1. Are humans apart from nature or a part of nature?

a. How did perceptions of nature affect human actions in relation to nature?

b. How did environmental changes occur and how did humans adapt?

2. How have humans “constructed” nature through time?a. What is “nature”? “natural”?b. Concept of “second nature” and the built environment

i. What was the effect of human activity on surroundingsii. How did perceptions of “nature” change over time?

-classical sense: “it’s in their nature” (as it is)-modern sense: untainted by human manipulation?(explained more fully in later slides)

History Without Borders: Human Nature and Natural Worlds

A. What is the relation between ideas about nature and strategies of production?1. What are “natural” human priorities?2. What human actions cause environmental transformation?3. How do different strategies of production affect interaction

with nature?a. Hunting?

• Totemism and the mythology of oneness with nature• Wilderness as “home”

b. What was the standard of living in paleolithic times? Lifespan/health?

c. How did the transition to neolithic culture affect lifespans/health?

d. What prompted the transition from paleolithic to neolithic lifeways?

e. What was the effect of Global climate shifts and glaciation? (ice ages?)

History Without Borders: Human Nature and Natural Worlds

A. How does agriculture affect perceptions of nature and wilderness?1. What is “agriculture”? Is it necessary for “civilization?2. What are the origins of the concept of “gardening”?

B. What caused change in subsistence patterns? a. Climate change? (global warming/species extinctions?)b. Population pressures (sedentism, declining food supplies?)c. Innovation? (experimentation/hobbyists?)d. Mistake? (big brain is defective adaptation?)

C. Environmental History as the study of regional variation in time?(see case-study, below)

Before Next Meeting (Wednesday)• Read the entire syllabus (all 4 pages)• Purchase required texts• Read assignment for this first week:

Week #1 Readings (Read for AP#1): Rampolla, pp. .6-9, 14-17, 25-37, 43-68, 88-95; 100-104, 133-138; Steinberg, pp. 3-20McNeill, pp. xxi-xxvi, 3-18Richards, pp. 1-14Fernández-Armesto, pp. 3-17

• Review the range of material assigned for next week (week #2 readings) and choose one section of readings for which you would prefer to be assigned primary responsibility

• Browse through the suggested websites and examine the reference work (Encyclopedia of World Environmental History) for ideas about term project

Emerging Notions of Nature: regionalism and the cultural baggage of Europeans

How did perceptions of natural vs unnatural worlds change over time and why?

How did those perceptions affect the way people acted in nature, and with what results?

How do ideas affect what people do in Nature?

• How does the location of people in nature relate to their ideas about nature?

• “civilization” in association with margins, or edges (transition zones)

• fuel, refuges, reserves and dynamic tension of people in relation to forests

• Robert Pogue Harrison, Forests: The Shadow of Civilization

Forests & Ancient concepts of wild vs civilized (humanized?) landscapes:

• Ancient European perceptions of forests as protective margins of cultural integrity

– obstacles to conquest and homogenization– assylums of cultural independence– targets of imperial power– agents of isolation/localization (lucus)

• Plato’s account of deforestation in ancient Greece

• Roman law conveyed title to person who cleared a land parcel

How do Imperial Systems affect perceptions of nature?

• How do Imperial Systems affect perceptions of nature? – potash industry and its impact on forest lands– leather tanning and impact on forests (500,000 tons

of bark/yr in early 1800s Britain)– sea-power and deforestation (shipbuilding)– ecological implications of classical statuary (quaries,

smelting, etc.)

• How does nature affect patterns of imperial growth?– prominence of oak woodlands in Mediterranean ecosystems

– relatively insignificant tidal action in Mediterranean Sea

• stability of coastal access

• implications for maritime trade

F. Braudel’s Mediterranean and the concept of deep currents in history

Regional specialization to serve imperial economy

Movement of resources from periphery to center

Accelerated impacts on ever-expanding periphery

How does the structure of an imperial economy affect energy flows and processes

The Nature of Imperial Greece

How did the ancient Greeks think about the world around them?

– Platonic idealism • imagine there's a real world that you can't really see, hear,

feel, touch, or smell--spiritual essence?• What you think you see is only an illusion, or a shadow-

image of what is real

– Aristotelian method• observed "uses"--the real world is all around you and it is

useful• pragmatic knowledge is what really matters (use-value)

What did Greeks do with the nature around them?– How did urbanization affect the landscapes of ancient

Greece? • Deforestation contributed to soil erosion & siltation of

nearby landscapes and rivers• growth model of colonization to secure depleted/needed

resources for imperial centers• localized temperature increases and drought (microclimate

changes from deforestation)• new marshlands (from floods & siltation) foster mosquito-

borne disease epidemics (malaria)• mining/pollution (air, water)/ and species extinctions

– How did ancient Greeks respond to the ecological crisis? • passive solar heating systems• plantation forestry• Contour plowing

– Did their efforts succeed in slowing/halting degradation?

The Nature of Imperial Rome

How did the Roman Empire re-make the Greek world?

– Pliny’s Natural History (1st century AD) & Aristotelian method (observational "uses")

– land-armies and defensive ramparts (2000 x 3000 ft per 3-legion army

– Health problems associated with industrialization & extensive use of heavy metals (lead, silver, gold)

– note high lead content in garum and liquamen (common sauces in Roman foods)

– lead sulfide as common prescription for diseases, scars, eyewash, and hairwash (cosmetic)

The Nature of Monastic Enclaves

How did European perceptions of nature change after the Fall of the Roman Empire, and why?

– Intellectual retreat into monastaries and the study of localized nature

– “discovered” order vs "classical order"• sensational Nature (monastery grounds) vs

authoritative texts (Pliny’s Natural History , 1st century AD)

• priestly ideal of [re-]naming God’s creation• Disjuncture of daily life and Pliny’s Nature

– Europe’s Deforestation: 95% forested in 1st century, 20% forested in 1100 AD (45 million people)

How did the “Little Ice Age” affect Renaissance thinking and the “Discovery”

impulse?

• declining agricultural productivity and the crisis of Christendom (ca 1200-1350)

• Black Death of 1347-1350 and biological luxuries for survivors (temporary surplus)

• Apparent surplus and flowering of cultures

• population recovery and resource crisis, 1400-1500

The Nature of Discovery

How did “discovery” of America affect European ideas about nature?

– Challenged European constructs of nature (religious & scientific):

• unexplained variation in species, people, resources (new science)

• new observations conflict with classical and renaissance-era texts (sensational vs rational order)

– Disrupted faith in order and stability in nature as evidence of God’s order (nature as unknown threat)

– Native Americans as a challenge to Aristotelian ideal of “folk wisdom” (observational and use knowledge)

– Scientific/religious retreat into idealized systems (formalism, immutable “laws”, linear time)

• de-spiritualized and commodified “nature” • Protestant/Calvinist doctrine of pre-destination

What (mis)perceptions of forests and nature did Europeans bring to North America after 1500?

• Forested landscape as impediment/threatening wilderness (vs valued legacy)

• Ecological diversity as an intellectual and metaphysical problem (vs introduced species as food source)

• Aristotelian concept of use-value/ways of knowing and understanding nature (materialism)

• Platonic traditions of idealism (supernatural forms)

The Nature of Doubt

How did the scientific Revolution affect European priorities in the Discovery Era, 1500-1700?

• Instrumentation and the narrowing of perspective (alienation from nature)

• Scientific method and the concept of "facts" (data) alienated from nature (context or value)

– Descartes and the "method of doubt"--disbelief in common-sense nature (“the noise of breaking machines”)

– Newton and systematic "laws" of a mechanistic universe (soul-less nature vs soul-ful humanity)

The Nature of Belief

How did Judeo-Christian mythology/beliefs structure human perceptions of the landscape?

– "Garden" imagery and the concept of a "humanized" environment (pastoral/agricultural ideals)

– "Paradise Lost" and the search for other-worldly "redemption" (vs "stewardship" ideals?)

How did the Protestant Reformation affect European perceptions of/interactions with nature?

– search for order and stability in nature as a symbol of God’s order/divine plan (John Winthrop's "City on a Hill"

– puritan ideology of a natural order apparent in physical world (appearance is everything)

Implications of European confusion about the natural world (what is natural) at the time of contact with the Americas:

– European spiritual leadership in chaotic disorder and violent contest

– “long century” of violent competition for ideological advantage (1480s to 1620s)

– Implications for European perceptions of exotic landscapes and peoples (the "other")

The Nature of Enlightenment