This course explores the relationship between environment and social inequality. It examines how race, class, and gender interact in American rural and urban environments to produce or sustain inequalities. The course examines how structural factors and community characteristics influence environmental outcomes. Students will begin by examining historical environmental justice issues in American cities. The course also examines the issue of food security; it looks at the rise in community gardening in poor communities as an attempt to combat the lack of access to healthy food. Students will also examine the root causes of residential segregation and the spatial inequalities that arise from the siting of hazardous facilities in minority and low-income urban and rural communities. A portion of the course analyses international environmental justices related to climate change and disasters as well as farming and pesticide use.

Class Format:

Learning Mode: Both lecture and discussions for this class will be DC (Distance due to COVID). All aspects will take place online and be fully compatible with remote online learning.

Instruction Mode: Lecture will meet twice a week and discussions once a week. Meetings will be in a combination of synchronous and asynchronous formats. Schedule for synchronous meetings will be included in the final syllabus and are subject to change by the instructor. Students will be informed of any changes as necessary.