Asian Environmental Humanities: Landscapes in Transition
- 4.7
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Course Summary
This course explores the relationship between the environment and humanity in Asia through the lens of humanities. Students will learn about different cultural, religious, and philosophical perspectives on environmental issues in Asia.Key Learning Points
- Understand how cultural, religious, and philosophical beliefs shape environmental practices in Asia
- Analyze the role of literature, art, and media in shaping environmental discourse in Asia
- Explore the impact of colonialism and globalization on environmental issues in Asia
Related Topics for further study
Learning Outcomes
- Develop a nuanced understanding of the relationship between environment and culture in Asia
- Critically analyze different perspectives on environmental issues in Asia
- Apply interdisciplinary approaches to environmental problem-solving
Prerequisites or good to have knowledge before taking this course
- Basic knowledge of Asian history and culture
- Strong interest in environmental issues
- Willingness to engage with diverse perspectives
Course Difficulty Level
IntermediateCourse Format
- Online
- Self-paced
- Video lectures
- Readings and quizzes
- Discussion forums
Similar Courses
- Environmental Justice
- Global Sustainable Energy
- Sustainability Science
Related Education Paths
Notable People in This Field
- Vandana Shiva
- David Suzuki
Related Books
Description
In this course, featuring many researchers from the University of Zurich and international institutions, we will introduce you to some of the most vibrant cultural trends addressing landscape appreciation, degradation, protection, and rehabilitation that currently circulate in the Asian hemisphere. You will learn about concepts of landscape in Asian religions, philosophy, social sciences, history and the arts and their reverberation in selected environmental projects in China, India and Japan. Furthermore, we will discuss how they are critically reflected upon in the context of the environmental humanities, and observe how an interdisciplinary approach towards regional ecosystems past and present reaches out beyond pragmatic technological solutions to mitigate environmental damage. Following us on our different paths and trajectories through the five modules of the course, you will encounter many of the reasons why environmental humanities study projects which strive to change people’s prevalent attitudes, values and behavioural patterns in order to redeem the rapidly globalizing crisis, and how they go about it.
Outline
- The Roots and Routes of Asian Environmental Thought
- Introduction to the MOOC
- Landscape Theory Part 1
- Landscape Theory Part 2
- Museum Rietberg Chinese Landscape Art Collection
- Shanshui in Modern Art
- Landscape and Body, Part 1
- Landscape and Body, Part 2
- Landscape and Body, Part 3: Ecosickness narratives
- Recommended literature
- Text Relating to Ecosickness Video
- Recommended Videos
- Recommended Literature
- Module 1
- Entangled Landscapes - Chinese Garden Concepts and Global Environments
- History of Entangled Landscapes
- Chinese Gardens in Britain 1
- Chinese Gardens in Britain 2
- Chinese Literati Gardens
- Wädenswil Garden of TCM Herbs
- Demolition, Part 1
- Demolition, Part 2
- Hometown Nostalgia
- New Village Movements
- Modern Landscaping
- Shaxi Reconstruction Project
- Recommended Reading
- Recommended Reading
- Recommended Videos
- Recommended Videos
- Recommended Readings
- Module 2
- Indian Religious Approaches: Two Communities
- Learning Goals and Module Overview
- What is Religion?
- Religious Communities
- Introduction to Zoroastrianism
- Dokhmenashini: System and Ritual
- Conflicts and Opinions
- Outcome: Doongerwadi as Entangled Landscape
- History of Auroville
- A City as a Visionary Project for the Evolution of Mankind
- Community of a Location?
- Voices of Auroville
- Conclusions
- Module 3
- Environment in India: Concepts and Socio-Economic Conditions
- Hindu Notions of Matter and Environment
- Waste, Pollution, and Cleaning
- Social Structures
- Sacred Rivers, Polluted Water
- Manual Scavenging
- Public Sanitation
- India's Economy of Waste
- Solid Waste Collectors
- Module 4
- East Asian Environmentalism
- Social Movements in Japan
- Environmental Movements in Japan
- New Movements after Fukushima
- Spirit of Nuclear Energy in Japan
- China's Environmental History
- China's Environmental Modernization
- Ecodocumentaries from the Sinosphere
- Representing Animals and Problems of Speciesism
- Postcolonial Environmentalism 1: Hong Kong
- Postcolonial Environmentalism 2: Taiwan
- Conclusion
- Reading Recommendations
- Environmental Awareness and Material Ecology
- Reading and Viewing Recommendations
- Video Recommendations
- Recommended Reading
- Lee, Haiyan. “The Silence of Animals: Writing on the Edge of Anthropomorphism in Contemporary Chinese Literature.” ISLE: Interdisciplinary Studies in Literature and Environment.
- Recommended Reading
- Module 5
Summary of User Reviews
Learn about the relationship between humans and the environment in Asia through the lens of humanities. This course explores various perspectives and cultural practices that shape environmental thinking and actions in Asia. Many users found this course informative and eye-opening. However, some users found the course material to be too dense and challenging to follow.Key Aspect Users Liked About This Course
The course provides a unique perspective on environmental issues through the lens of humanities, which many users found insightful.Pros from User Reviews
- Provides a fresh and unique perspective on environmental issues
- In-depth exploration of cultural practices and beliefs in Asia
- Informative and eye-opening
Cons from User Reviews
- Course material can be dense and challenging
- Some lectures can be long and difficult to follow
- Not enough emphasis on practical solutions to environmental issues
Andrea Riemenschnitter
4.7 Raiting
Asian Environmental Humanities: Landscapes in Transition
- 4.7
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You will learn about concepts of landscape in Asian religions, philosophy, social sciences, history and the arts and their reverberation in selected environmental projects in China, India and Japan....
