The news is filled with vivid images of “natural” disasters and catastrophe, including floods, earthquakes, drying lakes and rivers, and hurricanes. While unified in their sense of doom, these images obscure power dynamics, lived realities, and opportunities for resistance and transformative futures. This interdisciplinary course asks students to think critically and question the often simplistic depictions of “natural disasters” in the news, in other words to see beyond catastrophe. To question simple stories of “catastrophe” we will study feminist theory, approaches, and tools that call attention to power, question inequality, privilege lived experiences and local knowledge, and focus on imagining and creating more hopeful futures. We will explore topics including the creation of vulnerability, adaptation labor dynamics, loss and damage, care and carework, and women in/and development. This is a project-based course where students will work in groups to apply course learnings.
Prerequisites: Sophomore Standing or GSST 200 or ENVS 150 or HIST 209 or Instructor Permission