EngL 8090, section 003, "Whose Nature? The Environment in Humanistic Inquiry," 3:35-6:05 pm, Thursdays, Fall 2009. Led by Professor Dan Philippon

To register for the course, please visit the OneStop course schedule page.

This interdisciplinary dissertation writing seminar will examine three aspects of advanced study of the environment in the humanities: (1) how three humanistic disciplines--literary and rhetorical studies, history, and philosophy--each address "the environment" in different ways, (2) how an emerging body of interdisciplinary work breaks these disciplinary boundaries in innovative ways, and (3) how students in the natural and social sciences can benefit from engaging humanistic approaches in their own dissertation work. The title of the course--"Whose Nature?"--is meant to summarize the overarching question that drives much of the work in the environmental humanities, which seeks to link understandings of the physical environment common to the natural sciences with questions of human identity and purpose that characterize the humanities. Readings will include two or three recent books that began as dissertations (to serve as models for student work), as well as articles that represent the different disciplinary perspectives in the humanities and their application to the natural and social sciences. Additional readings will come from students' own dissertation work, which seminar participants will be asked to workshop, much as a writing support group might do. Depending on student interest, the course may also involve visits from facuty members in related areas, a field session, and a variety of cooperative learning activities.

Professor Philippon is in the Department of English. He also has graduate faculty appointments in American Studies, Conservation Biology,
Development Studies and Social Change, English, Rhetoric and Scientific and Technical Communication, and Risk Analysis for Introduced Species and Genotypes.