Some of you may have noticed some interesting classes listed in our class schedule for this upcoming fall semester. Wait, of course all of our courses are interesting. Start over: some new courses listed in our fall schedule. One of them is Professor DeLaure’s “GreenSpeech: Communication and the Environment,” the subject of today’s “Class Notes.”
This course is a First Year Seminar, meaning it is a course only open to new first year students (sorry sophomores, juniors, and seniors!) and it fulfills the university Public Speaking requirement. I wanted to share a description of the course to give everyone an idea of what Professor DeLaure and her students will be working on. It also gives you a bit more information into Professor DeLaure’s research and teaching interests.
"GreenSpeech" focuses on communication and the environment
According to Professor DeLaure, “GreenSpeech examines how communication shapes our understandings of, and interactions with, the environment. Over the course of the semester, we’ll address the following questions: How do we define ‘environment’ and distinguish between ‘nature’ and ‘culture’? What are the myriad ways we humans narrate our relationships to the natural world? How do modern lifestyles and human ‘progress’ impact the planet? What are the most pressing ecological problems facing us today? How do scientists, environmentalists, elected officials, and ordinary citizens deliberate over environmental issues, and how to the media frame these debates? And how can you develop your voice to become a powerful advocate for the environment?
Muir Woods
Together we will explore our local San Francisco environment through readings and field trips; we’ll also learn about contemporary environmental problems and various forms of activism seeking to address those problems. Students will sharpen their speaking skills, hone their critical thinking abilities, and educate one another through a series of speech assignments rooted in environmental topics. The class meets MWF from 2:15-3:20 pm AND F 3:25-5:00 pm. That’s because on most Friday afternoons, we’ll be venturing out into the city (on foot or by bicycle) to explore; on some Fridays, we’ll watch a documentary film together.”
No, that's not Lance Armstrong... it's Professor DeLaure!
Did any of you current students take a First Year Seminar in the Communication Studies department? WE have had several over the years. Tell us about it if you did!
