American natural landscapes are associated with a broad array of cultural meanings.  An overview of perspectives is provided, including colonial American, romantic appreciation for wilderness, and science-based conservation.  Alternative meanings of natural landscapes are aligned with gender, race and class and contrasted with traditional perspectives.  Landscape art and environmental literature is introduced to understand and illustrate course concepts.  Implications of diversity in cultural meanings toward nature are developed and provide the basis for assessing tenets of contemporary environmental policy, park development, and community-based conservation.  Students are expected to develop their own land ethic using frameworks from class.

MWF 1:00-1:50, 136 Armory, Fulfills Gen Ed:  Western Comparative Culture

Instructor:             Bill Stewart, Professor, RST

Office phone:       244-4532

Email:                    wstewart@illinois.edu

Thanks to Professor Bill Stewart for this information item.

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