This course introduces first-year students to nature in the city from a variety of perspectives: from contemplative to activist discourse, private gardens to public parks, and biodiversity to inequality. Through texts, images, films, and field trips, students will figuratively and literally explore the city and its relationship to the natural, the wild, and other contested ideas. Students write weekly journals in response to the course materials from which they develop a term project that focuses on an aspect of nature in the city. Guest speakers, field trips, writing activities and course readings will help students engage deeply with their environment and develop the skills and sensitivity required for literary reporting.
This course introduces first-year students to nature in the city from a variety of perspectives: from contemplative to activist discourse, private gardens to public parks, and biodiversity to inequality. Through texts, images, films, and field trips, students will figuratively and literally explore the city and its relationship to the natural, the wild, and other contested ideas. Students write weekly journals in response to the course materials from which they develop a term project that focuses on an aspect of nature in the city. Guest speakers, field trips, writing activities and course readings will help students engage deeply with their environment and develop the skills and sensitivity required for literary reporting.
