This focal area developed out of the realization over the past generation that understanding the social, cultural, political, economic, and historic dimensions of the environment is as important to wise stewardship as is understanding its bio-physical dimensions. A distinguishing characteristic of this focal area is its special focus on the environmental relations of local communities, but students and faculty recognize that it is equally important to understand the ways that such local systems are entwined with extra-local, national, and global markets, politics, and ideologies. Special emphasis is placed on analyzing and critiquing where necessary the orthodox approaches to conservation and development. Teaching and research in this focal area encompass communities, local and national governments, and NGOs, and address such topics as indigenous environmental knowledge, community-based conservation, protected area management, environmental justice, and environmental values, movements, and discourses. Specific courses are offered on such topics as tropical ecosystem dynamics and anthropogenic change; risk and property; society and natural resources; religion, values, and the environment; agrarian societies; sustainable development; energy issues in developing countries; environmental education; and natural resource management policy. Students in this focal area carry out summer research both within and outside the United States, with excellent on-campus financial support available for the social costs of the latter. This area is the focal point within F&ES for the joint doctoral degree program with Anthropology and the joint master’s degree program with International Relations.

Faculty Michael R. Dove (Coordinator), Mark S. Ashton, Robert Bailis, Carol Carpenter, Benjamin Cashore, Susan G. Clark, Lisa M. Curran, Amity A. Doolittle, Paul A. Draghi, Gordon T. Geballe, John Grim, Stephen R. Kellert, Florencia Montagnini, Karen Seto, James Gustave Speth, Mary Evelyn Tucker, John P. Wargo

Courtesy joint appointments Willis Jenkins, James C. Scott, K. Sivaramakrishnan

Associated center: Tropical Resources Institute