FALL 2011 COURSE OFFERING
Environmental Health and Policy (ENVS 1710)
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9 am to 10:20 am
CES, UEL 106
Instructor: Dr. Mey Akashah

This course will provide an overview of environmental health methods and their application to policy and regulation. Students will learn the basic tools of environmental health sciences, including toxicology, epidemiology, and risk assessment, as well as the scientific basis for the regulatory process and for specific regulatory decisions. Traditional environmental health concerns (e.g., air pollution, water pollution) will be discussed, as well as emerging discourses on environmental health issues, including urban pollution and its concomitant health concerns, climate change, chronic exposure to low-level pollutants, and the interrelationship between humanitarian crises and environmental degradation. Case studies will be used throughout the course to illustrate the process and progress of environmental health science and policy, as well as the success or failure of such policies in protecting human health and the environment. We will also address issues of health disparities and environmental injustice, both specifically in lecture, and as underlying themes throughout the course. This course is open to both undergraduate and graduate students of all fields, space permitting. Prerequisite: ENVS 0110 or instructor permission. Please contact the instructor at makashah@post.harvard.edu with any course-related questions you might have.

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NEW GRADUATE SEMINAR
ES Topics: Sociology of Natural Resources, Community Conflict, and Social Movements - 17340 - ENVS 2700B - S01
Tuesdays from 4-6:20pm, Wilson 303.
Instructor: Dr. Stephanie Malin

Focusing on a variety of natural resource types – including water, uranium, and oil / gas – this course examines the sociology of natural resources, especially issues related to community conflicts and emergent social movements surrounding natural resource use and extraction. We will focus particularly on conflicts and movements pertaining to environmental, health, and other social injustices. This seminar challenges students to analyze conditions that encourage or discourage social movements in various natural resource extraction and use circumstances. With a political-economic theoretical lens and a global development perspective, we will discuss U.S. cases as well as other global case studies. Thus, ethical debates in natural resource development decisions will be examined in the context of theories of development. The course will be organized as a seminar, allowing students the opportunity to shape class discussions and add their own interests to the mix.

The course begins with an overview of the most important works in natural resources sociology, with a focus on the problems of resource dependency and poverty stemming from natural resource dependency. The course then establishes the relevant theoretical models used in lecture and discussion throughout the semester, followed by a focus on the role of institutions, particularly the World Bank, in development projects involving natural resources. After this foundation is laid, the course focuses on particular natural resources, their development, and sociological outcomes. Uranium, mining and coal, hydraulic fracking and natural gas, oil and gas, and water (specifically its privatization on a global scale) are discussed. The class concludes with perspectives on communities facing natural resource-related disasters, as well as student presentations on their own research topics.

This is a graduate seminar. While it is open to advanced undergraduates, permission is required from the professor.

Please contact Stephanie_Malin@brown.edu or 401-863-5152 with questions.

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FALL 2011 COURSE OFFERING FROM WATSON INSTITUTE
Science and Technology Policy in the Global South
PPAI-1701G
Instructor: Prof. Geri Augusto
Tuesdays, 9:00-11:20 a.m.
Taubman Center conference room

Using theoretical ideas and empirical examples, this seminar explores from a variety of perspectives the relationships among science, technology, society, and public policy making in the Global South. It examines the influence of past experience, forms of public organization, systems of knowledge and belief, civic epistemologies and regulatory frameworks, strategic agendas for development, and tensions in power and social relations on governance of science and technology in several societies, and interrogates the roles of local and global knowledge in shaping S&T policy making and citizenship in an internationalized context. Brazil, China and South Africa will be the key exemplars this year. Bridging public policy, development studies and science studies, the seminar introduces a more internationalized perspective on science and technology governance, and enhances capacity for effective policy making practice. Students will be graded on three writing assignments; informed participation in class discussions; and participation in electronically-mediated conversations with global counterparts (including a video-conference with Brazil) on “sticky issues” such as dirty fuels and renewable energy, disasters and citizen science response, and infectious diseases. Junior/senior seminar for public policy concentrators; students from other fields welcome, with instructor’s permission. Geri_Augusto@Brown.edu

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NEW FALL COURSE – NATIVE AMERICAN ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH MOVEMENTS, ETHN 1890J
Prof Elizabeth Hoover
Fall 2011
Tuesday and Thursday 10:30-12:00 in Sayles 200
E-mail: Elizabeth_M_Hoover@brown.edu
Office hours: on Tuesdays and Thursdays 1:00-2:00 and by appointment

American Indian reservations are currently home to over 600 Superfund sites, and countless other sources of environmental contamination. Many of these communities are concerned about how the contamination from these sites will affect their health, and about how conventional risk assessments done at these sites do not often enough take Native culture and subsistence into account. In the past, scientists had sometimes descended on the community, collected physical data and personal information, and left without concerns of tailoring their studies to community needs, or reporting results back to the community.

Today, many Native communities are taking charge of the research process, and presenting with scientists through a “community based participatory research” (CBPR) approach, which takes a more democratic and ecological approach to the study of environmental health. Through three case studies, we will examine how environmental contamination has impacted the health and culture of different Native communities across North America. We will look at how they organized around environmental health issues, how they pushed for results, how they worked with and/or fought against science. These communities are often engaging in “popular epidemiology,” gathering data and resources to understand the epidemiology of disease in their communities, and creating social movements (often begun by women) around addressing these issues.

The three case studies we will be focusing on are: the PCB contamination of the St. Lawrence River that bisects the Akwesasne Mohawk community; the uranium mines that affected miners, their families, and community members who consume contaminated water on the Navajo reservation; and the PCB contamination of food sources for Yu’pik villagers on St. Lawrence Island in Alaska. Within each case we will learn about the culture and history of the community, and the more recent histories of environmental contamination. We will also examine how the community has organized and sought to draw attention to their environmental health issues and how environmental health researchers were brought in, or invited themselves in, to assist with the cause. We will examine the outcomes of the health studies that were conducted, the ways in which CBPR was, or was not, employed and how the results were given back to the community.

Part of applied work in indigenous communities involves working in teams and with multidisciplinary literature, studies, and results. You are not expected to fully grasp all of the science in the reports below — the important thing is to look at how the studies were run, the results presented, and the lessons learned. Across all of the disparate case studies, think about how community based participatory research (CBPR) is presented, and lessons learned from errors in this arena. Many researchers do not read outside of their disciplines-- how could some of these researchers have learned from each other?

This class is geared towards a multi-disciplinary group of students. Throughout the course we will be discussing how the social sciences have and can continue to contribute to the discovery and remediation of contaminated sites, as well as documenting the impact of a contaminated environment on the health and culture of indigenous communities. For science oriented students, we will be discussing how you can carry the lessons learned about community work by the scientists who carried out these studies into your own future work

For more information, please contact Elizabeth Hoover at Elizabeth_M_Hoover@brown.edu

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THE FOLLOWING FALL COURSES HAVE BEEN CANCELLED:

ENVS 1530
From Locke to Deep Ecology: Property Rights and Environmental Policy
Instructor: Caroline Karp
Status: Cancelled

ENVS 1350
Environmental Economics and Policy
Instructor: Unassigned
Status: Cancelled

Off Campus

ZERO-TRASH BIRTHDAY BASH
When – Friday, September 23, 2011 from 6:00-10:J00pm
Where – Hope Artiste Village, Unite 105, 999 Main St., Pawtucket, RI

ecoRI News is celebrating its second anniversary with a zero-waste birthday bash, and you’re invited. Candita Clayton, owner of the Candita Clayton Studio in Hope Artiste Village, is graciously hosting the party, which will be held Friday, Sept. 23, from 6-10 p.m. The event will feature a locally sourced menu, including Narragansett Creamery cheese and something for your sweet tooth, home-brewed beer,Yacht Club beverages, a silent auction, local art for sale, local wine and no waste left behind.

Tickets cost $25 each, and include admission, an ecoRI News pint glass and some fabulous culinary delights made with hyperlocal food from Rhode Island farmers’ market vendors. Everything at this event will be eaten, imbibed, composted, precycled or recycled. We encourage you to bring a reusable to-go container so you can bring leftovers home. To learn more visit http://www.ecori.org/press-releases/2011/8/1/celebrate-our-birthday-with-local-food-zero-waste.html

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ALT-MAPPING WORKSHOP, PART 2
Monday, September 12, 5-7:30 pm
Location in the Pioneer Valley TBA
Free of Charge

Geographer and AIC Co-Director Marie Cieri will lead a follow-up workshop in the Pioneer Valley on nontraditional mapping techniques for artists, activists, planners and others interested in experimental cartography. This session will focus on execution and discussion of participants' own mapping projects and may include an on-site group endeavor, building on the first session's emphasis on the many ways we look at the landscapes we inhabit (as nature, problem, economics, etc) and on a variety of alternative mapping projects we have viewed. New as well as returning participants are welcome to register; new attendees will receive preparation materials distributed for the first workshop.

To register for the workshop, contact adele@artistsincontext.org

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PLANTING THE SEED LIBRARY
Wednesday, September 14, 5:30 - 7:30 pm
Pine Point Branch: 204 Boston Road, Springfield, MA

The Springfield City Library, New Growth Gardens and Artists in Context are launching a "seed library" at the Public Library. A seed library (or seed bank) is a place where seeds are safely stored and protected so that community members can have access to FREE seeds for spring 2012 planting. The seeds will be archived in a re-purposed wooden library card catalog. Join us on September 14 for a hands-on workshop and learn how to save seeds for future planting. All vegetables for the seed saving will be supplied. Fresh-from-the-garden refreshments will be provided.

For more information visit the AIC Pioneer Valley events page. To register for the event, contact dmadsen@springfieldlibrary.org - Doris Madsen, Reference Librarian at the Springfield City Library: Pine Point Branch 413-263-6855; Sixteen Acres Branch 413-263-6858 dmadsen@springfieldlibrary.org

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CARBON SMARTS CONFERENCE
“Learning Science on the Go”
October 20-21, 2011
UMass Lowell Inn & Conference Center
Lowell, MA
www.uml.edu/carbonsmarts

Come learn and discuss how media like billboards, posters, mass transit and smart phone apps can educate adult commuters about climate change. Space is limited so register early!

Early-bird: $60
After Sept. 1: $90
Student rate: $25

Contact: David Lustick, David_Lustick@uml.edu, 987-934-4644

Jobs and Opportunities

FALL 2011 INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AT OCEAN STATE ACTION
Application Deadline: September 19, 2011

Ocean State Action is a proudly progressive coalition of community organizations, environmental groups, professional associations, and labor unions that have been fighting together for over two decades in Rhode Island to win public policy and political victories for social and economic justice.

OSA is looking for fall interns to support our pressing legislative and electoral strategies, which include closing corporate tax loopholes, fighting for marriage equality, reforming our broken health care system, and electing leaders, who support these policies. All interns will support our field program – meaning that all members of the OSA team will make some phone calls, attend events and provide general support for day-to-day staff needs. In addition to organizing the grassroots and providing general support to OSA staff, each intern may choose an area to concentrate on to develop their specific skill set.

Internship Concentrations:

Field Organizing: OSA’s Field Organizing Interns live for the hands-on community-building work that takes place at the doors, over the phone, and working side-by-side with everyday Rhode Islanders to fight for social change
Visual Arts: OSA’s Visual Arts Interns will contribute their skills in photography, videography, video editing, graphic design, etc., and gain experience working as a part of an organization that values artistic expression as an integral part of campaigning.
Communications & Research: OSA’s Communications & Research Interns will hone their research, writing and press skills to support the varied needs of our ever-changing political environment.
Data Management: OSA’s Data Management Interns will work with our Salsa Labs supporter management system to improve our use of effective database tools to inform our field work.
New Media: OSA’s New Media Interns will engage our supporters and broadcast our messaging online through Facebook, Twitter and web site management, e-mail writing and advocacy tools integration.

How do I apply: Send your resume, letter of interest indicating which concentration(s) interest(s) you and your favorite quote to info@oceanstateaction.org by September 19, 2011.

To learn more contact: Emilie Aries / Lead Organizer / Ocean State Action / 99 Bald Hill Road / Cranston, RI 02920 / 401-463-5368 x 339 / 401-489-2892

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VOLUNTEER AT “CONNECTING FOR CHANGE”

Marion Institute is seeking a number of volunteers to spend a day (or more!) as part of their team during the annual Connecting for Change: A Bioneers by the Bay Conference taking place in New Bedford, MA from October 21-23, 2011.

Volunteering at Connecting for Change is a fun, energizing and enriching experience. Tasks range from monitoring workshops to assisting with the farmers' market (see the full list). Moreover, when you volunteer for one day, you’ll receive free admission to one day of your choosing to attend the conference and see amazing live keynote speakers such as Laurie David, producer of An Inconvenient Truth, Graham Hill, founder of TreeHugger.com, Ben Hewitt, author of The Town that Food Saved, and much more! You’ll also enjoy all the other festivities offered, visit www.connectingforchange.org for more information.

Click HERE to register to volunteer and select your free conference day. If you have friends or family interested in volunteering, please pass along this e-mail or have them contact us at michelle@marioninstitute.org or 508.748.0816.

Center for Environmental Studies Box 1943 135 Angell Street Providence, RI 02912 Telephone: (401) 863-3449 Fax: (401) 863-3503

Library Resource Guide for ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES

Student Initiatives

CES Newsletter August 29, 2011

Center for Environmental Studies
Box 1943
135 Angell Street
Providence, RI 02912
Telephone: (401) 863-3449
Fax: (401) 863-3503

Library Resource Guide for
ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES