STS 3636

Floods, Toxic Drinking Water and Other Muddy Disasters

Course Description

Course information provided by the Courses of Study 2019-2020.

This is an interdisciplinary course on water and disasters. It confronts the question about which environmental phenomena (restricted to watery ones) we consider disasters (whether fast-onset or slow-onset), how are they represented, and what is missing in such representation. We will build on theory in the social sciences (anthropology, development sociology), humanities (history in particular) and natural sciences of water (geology/hydrogeology, fluvial morphology, geochemistry of water, water management), but ground our discussion in case studies of floods, mudslides, water toxicity, and water scarcity/insecurity. The course will comprise of interactive lectures and experiential learning, including building an art/research installation "The Flood Room: Environmental Knowledge, Disaster Preparedness, Community Resilience and Climate Change Communication in Ithaca, New York."

When Offered Spring.

Course Attribute (CU-SBY)

Comments The course is appropriate for both graduate students and juniors/seniors.

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