Southwestern University
AC-3: Undergraduate Program

The Environmental Studies program provides an exploration of the interactions and connections between humans and nature from a wide variety of perspectives. Environmental studies considers the physical and biological properties of the environment, concepts of the environment from a range of social, religious, artistic and philosophical perspectives, and public policy approaches to understanding and grappling with environmental problems. The program has a particular concern with climate change. The program introduces students to the viewpoints of both environmentalist thinkers and their critics and encourages students to engage in environmental activism.

The Anthropology major is designed to develop a critical awareness and understanding of the diversity of peoples and cultures, and of the relevance and application of anthropological perspectives and methods to contemporary issues. The program specializes in the Caribbean, Latina/o’s in the U.S. and the U.S-Mexico Borderlands, and is anchored by a faculty member each in Anthropology and Feminist Studies. Courses cover issues central to our contemporary global society: questions of race, class and gender; environmental (in)justice; and the making of religious and spiritual forms and identities. Additionally, contributing courses from Political Science and Religion address politics and social change in Latin American and Caribbean societies, gender in/and religions, spiritual traditions in native America, pilgrimages and more. Anthropology majors acquire solid grounding in both the social and cultural theory employed and generated by anthropologists and the ethnographic methods that define our discipline and conduct and present a paper based upon their own independent research.

The Environmental Studies program provides an exploration of the interactions and connections between humans and nature from a wide variety of perspectives. Environmental studies considers the physical and biological properties of the environment, concepts of the environment from a range of social, religious, artistic and philosophical perspectives, and public policy approaches to understanding and grappling with environmental problems. The program has a particular concern with climate change. The program introduces students to the viewpoints of both environmentalist thinkers and their critics and encourages students to engage in environmental activism.

The Anthropology minor is designed to develop a critical awareness and understanding of the diversity of peoples and cultures, and of the relevance and application of anthropological perspectives and methods to contemporary issues. The program specializes in the Caribbean, Latina/o’s in the U.S. and the U.S-Mexico Borderlands, and is anchored by a faculty member each in Anthropology and Feminist Studies. Courses cover issues central to our contemporary global society: questions of race, class and gender; environmental (in)justice; and the making of religious and spiritual forms and identities. Additionally, contributing courses from Political Science and Religion address politics and social change in Latin American and Caribbean societies, gender in/and religions, spiritual traditions in native America, pilgrimages and more. Anthropology majors acquire solid grounding in both the social and cultural theory employed and generated by anthropologists and the ethnographic methods that define our discipline and conduct and present a paper based upon their own independent research.