HELGA. Nature, knowledge, and power in the Anthropocene
Course content
HELGA. Nature, knowledge, and power in the
Anthropocene
Contemporary environmental challenges including climate change,
mass extinctions, biodiversity loss, rampant pollution, and more
demonstrate that the status quo will no longer be sufficient. In
recent scholarship, the articulation of the current epoch as the
Anthropocene, or human disturbance at a planetary scale, has shaped
efforts to re-think approaches to research, policy, history,
nature, and everyday life with profound consequences for all earth
inhabitants. In this course, we will historicize and situate the
Anthropocene, the knowledge and governance regimes that have shaped
our current moment, and current efforts to respond to environmental
challenges in particular around the themes of agriculture, food,
energy, land-use, biodiversity, and nature.
In addition to introducing key concepts, fields, texts and
approaches in environmental humanities and science and technology
studies (STS), the course includes a significant focus on
problem-based work. In the lectures and in individual projects,
students will work with case studies based in Denmark and beyond
related to course themes. Case studies could for example include
rewilding projects in Denmark, climate change mitigation efforts in
Copenhagen, or human-animal relations in a particular site. These
cases as well as a secondary assignment will form the basis for
peer and instructor feedback workshops and the final portfolio
assignment.
The course will thus provide insight into how various nature,
resource, climate and environmental issues take shape through
specific perspectives and frameworks. At the same time, the course
shows how Saxo's expertise can be used to understand the
often-unspoken premises on which debates about the environment and
climate are based, and thus how we as humanists can help to ask new
questions and thereby work for a more equitable distribution of
goods, problems and resources, locally and globally.
Please note that the majority of instruction and texts will be in
English, however we will have guest lectures and group work in
Danish and all written materials can be in Danish per student
preferences.
OBS:
"Forskningsområde" indgår som en integreret del af:
- Metode 1: Feltarkæologi med forskningsområde (kun studerende
på Forhistorisk Arkæologi)
- Kulturanalyse med forskningsområde (Etnologistuderende)
Blanketnavn: HELGA, 3.semester: Forskningsområde, efterår
2025
- Område 3: historieformidling med formidlingsteori og
forskningsområde (Historiestuderende -
se Historie,
BA, lektionskatalog efterår 2025).
Blanketnavn: Historie, BA, 3.semester: Forskningsområde,
efterår 2025
Forskningsområde knyttet til kurser på Saxo-Instituttet for Arkæologi-, Etnologi og Historiestuderende på 3. semester og Græsk- og Latinstuderende på 5. semester.
Holdundervisning
- ECTS
- 0 ECTS
- Type of assessment
-
Other
- Type of assessment details
- Portfoliobestemmelser: Portfolio regulations: Portfolio
consisting of 2 parts
Total scope: 8-10 standard pages
Part 1:
5-6 pages analysis of a self-selected case or controversy in relation to course themes. Literature from the course must be included in the analysis, which must also:
- be well-defined
- contain an account of the case/controversy itself, as it is expressed in the media, literature, etc.
- analyze how and with what consequences particular forms of knowledge, views of nature, and/or forms of expertise are expressed
Part 2:
3-4 pages case study and analysis based on a key course concept and local fieldwork, conducted as part of the course. This assignment will include:
- A description of a particular entity/infrastructure interaction
- An analysis based on course texts
- An optional visual element that extends the analysis - Aid
- All aids allowed
- Censorship form
- No external censorship
- Category
- Hours
- Class Instruction
- 42
- Preparation
- 88
- Exam Preparation
- 62
- English
- 192
Kursusinformation
- Language
- English
- Course number
- HSAXO0524U
- ECTS
- 0 ECTS
- Programme level
- Bachelor
- Duration
-
1 semester
- Placement
- Autumn
- Schedulegroup
-
Se skemalink
- Studyboard
- Study Board of Archaeology, Ethnology, Greek & Latin, History
Contracting department
- SAXO-Institute - Archaeology, Ethnology, Greek & Latin, History
Contracting faculty
- Faculty of Humanities
Course Coordinator
- Katy Kelsey Overstreet (15-6d63767b3071786774757674676776426a776f306d7730666d)
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