ANT 256 - Topics: Anthropology of the Environment at the Wilderness Field Station (1)

This course takes place in Minnesota at the Wilderness Field Station located on Low Lake in the Superior National Forest, adjacent to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area (BWCA). The BWCA is a unique, extensive chain of nationally protected freshwater lakes in which motorized vehicles are prohibited and development is restricted. Conflicts over land use, however, have been a part of this region since before its designation as the BWCA, and restrictions are continually contested. Whether sulfide mining should be permitted, where motorized vehicles should be allowed, and how wolf hunting ought to be regulated, are all examples of ongoing debates. Through the lens of environmental anthropology, our course will examine the cultural politics of land use and human-environment interactions. If we hope to solve immanent environmental dilemmas, we must consider the socio-cultural context through which these dilemmas take shape. Our course will consider persistent debates over environmental meanings, regulative authority, and environmental political action in the Boundary Waters and beyond. Activities include canoeing, hiking, possible camping expeditions, meeting with local activists and organizations, visiting museums and heritage centers, and generally engaging in a variety of immersive events in order to better understand the environmental and socio-cultural conflicts and triumphs associated with the region. (FEE) This course is pre-approved for transcript notation in the Ingenuity in Action category, Civic Engagement. To participate and earn notation of completion on your transcript, please complete the Ingenuity in Action application.
(Social Science)