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Geography (GEOG)

GEOG 435H (IL) Global Change and Sustainability - Bulgaria (3) Sustainability in the context of climate change, global socioeconomic change and regional transformation in Bulgaria; embedded foreign fieldwork (honors).

GEOG 435H Global Change and Sustainability - Bulgaria (3)
(IL)

This course focuses on sustainable development and global change - vital issues for humanity - with specific attention to the challenges in Bulgaria of the transition from a centrally planed state to an open market economy with an emerging civil society. It is highly integrative in themes and case studies, including seminar work on-campus and field work in Bulgaria. Acquiring knowledge, understanding foreign environment, and developing new values embracing sustainable development are ultimate objectives of the course. Topics include rethinking established ways of production and consumption; policy and decision making affecting sustainability; finding new ways of greening economics, social accounting and planning; constraining consumerism; sustainable transportation, energy, engineering, architecture and construction; agriculture, forestry and water resources in a changing global climate; and the role of media, communication and NGOs. The course focuses on Bulgaria with the multiple challenges of the transition, globalization, global climate change, and important local land use and energy changes, including a critical assessment of sustainable aspects of former socialist states (e.g. compact cities, public transportation) in contrast to contemporary trajectories (e.g. urban sprawl, private automobile use). Within the general student-involved-learning framework of the course, students develop individual or team foci based on their academic major and personal interests, developing a proposal for in-country activity and post-field-session synthesis of a sustainability issue and the Bulgarian case. Special attention is given to meeting the goals of Schreyer Honors College: to demonstrate academic excellence with integrity, students will be held to a high standard of scholarly curiosity and performance, including developing skills and attitudes necessary for responsible and ethical interaction with local officials, scholars and host families. For building a global perspective, students will be challenged with seeing global and regional change from a non-North-Atlantic perspective reflecting the wider post-socialist world. For creating opportunities for leadership and civic engagement, students will be expected to show in their individual proposals and final projects aspects of their own learning and intellectual curiosity that will be shared with the people who assist them in Bulgaria. The course has honors expectations in the level of participation and collaborative learning, the formal project proposal, field work activities for achieving the proposal goals, and in the final symposium presentation and paper. The course contributes to a new generation capable of making vital decisions for a sustainable future in the face of climate change as well as social and economic transitions.


General Education: None
Diversity: IL
Bachelor of Arts: None
Effective: Summer 2008
Prerequisite: sophomore standing or above; departmental permission required

Note : Class size, frequency of offering, and evaluation methods will vary by location and instructor. For these details check the specific course syllabus.