The Ecology of Place

This interdisciplinary history-ecology course explores the new sub-field of placed-based ecology and related topics, including philosophy and ethics of place, history of ecology, land use and environmental history, traditional ecological knowledge, and restoring and managing local ecosystems.

Readings include a variety of texts and other media, with an emphasis on significant ecological insights gained from context-specific study of the natural and cultural dimensions of organism-environment interactions. Field trips promote learning about the natural and cultural history of the area. A course service-learning project applies scientific and
humanistic research methods to a local green space managed by the City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department. Co-taught with History and Philosophy of Science professor James Capshew.