Course News:
April 23: here's a link to the resource we'll use in today's group work. Our instructions are:
First, find one especially interesting environmental change, and explain how it would be more severe with 2 °C of warming as opposed to 1.5° C. .
Second, explain the likely consequences of that change for human beings.
Third, explain how we might mitigate and/or adapt to this change with government policy.
April 11: here's a link to the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication Public Opinion Maps. And here's a link to an especially interesting New York Times article that explains how Pinkerton is preparing for lucrative opportunities in a warming world.
April 4: here are instructions for today's group work:
Group 1: Draw on all the information you have (see below) to argue that climate change IS leading to conflict in present-day Iran.
Group 2: Draw on all of that information to argue that climate change IS NOT leading to conflict in present-day Iran.
Group 3: Draw on all the information you have to argue that, by 2100, climate change will destabilize Iran.
Group 4: Draw on all the information you have to make the opposite argument.
Resources:
• Here are three articles about climate change, drought, and conflict in Iran: from Scientific American, the LA Times, and the World Politics Review.
• Here are handouts one and two.
• Here's a link to the CIA World Factbook, a great resource for country information.
• Finally, here's a link to climate simulations. The Carbon Brief data (scroll to the bottom of the page) may be especially useful to you.
• Feel free to use other reputable information that you've found online.
All groups:
• Be as creative as possible, and think through as many different kinds of causation as you can. Do your best to consider complexity and uncertainty.
• Prepare a very short (roughly 5 minute) presentation about your big conclusions. Each presentation should explain: 1) how Iran's climate is changing or will change; 2) Whether and how that is affecting or will affect Iranian lives and livelihoods; 3) Whether and how changes to lives and livelihoods are inciting or will provoke conflict in Iran.
• Come up to the front of the classroom to give your presentation. Feel free to show pictures on the big screen.
• If we have time, you will return to your groups after the presentations are over to prepare a rebuttal. You will come up and give your rebuttal in another short presentation.
March 19: here are the questions for today's group work:
March 7: a reworked version of our syllabus is now available. Note that the Palgrave Handbook of Climate History is available as a free e-book through Georgetown Library's HoyaSearch.
October 30: the draft syllabus for our Spring 2019 module is now online. Have a look!
First, find one especially interesting environmental change, and explain how it would be more severe with 2 °C of warming as opposed to 1.5° C. .
Second, explain the likely consequences of that change for human beings.
Third, explain how we might mitigate and/or adapt to this change with government policy.
April 11: here's a link to the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication Public Opinion Maps. And here's a link to an especially interesting New York Times article that explains how Pinkerton is preparing for lucrative opportunities in a warming world.
April 4: here are instructions for today's group work:
Group 1: Draw on all the information you have (see below) to argue that climate change IS leading to conflict in present-day Iran.
Group 2: Draw on all of that information to argue that climate change IS NOT leading to conflict in present-day Iran.
Group 3: Draw on all the information you have to argue that, by 2100, climate change will destabilize Iran.
Group 4: Draw on all the information you have to make the opposite argument.
Resources:
• Here are three articles about climate change, drought, and conflict in Iran: from Scientific American, the LA Times, and the World Politics Review.
• Here are handouts one and two.
• Here's a link to the CIA World Factbook, a great resource for country information.
• Finally, here's a link to climate simulations. The Carbon Brief data (scroll to the bottom of the page) may be especially useful to you.
• Feel free to use other reputable information that you've found online.
All groups:
• Be as creative as possible, and think through as many different kinds of causation as you can. Do your best to consider complexity and uncertainty.
• Prepare a very short (roughly 5 minute) presentation about your big conclusions. Each presentation should explain: 1) how Iran's climate is changing or will change; 2) Whether and how that is affecting or will affect Iranian lives and livelihoods; 3) Whether and how changes to lives and livelihoods are inciting or will provoke conflict in Iran.
• Come up to the front of the classroom to give your presentation. Feel free to show pictures on the big screen.
• If we have time, you will return to your groups after the presentations are over to prepare a rebuttal. You will come up and give your rebuttal in another short presentation.
March 19: here are the questions for today's group work:
- First, work through the questions in Kishlansky’s guide to reading primary sources. See how many you can answer.
- Second, figure out how and if we could use your document to answer – or begin to answer – one or both of the questions I’ve asked you to address in your essays.
- Third, determine what further questions these documents raise for you that you might be interested in answering.
March 7: a reworked version of our syllabus is now available. Note that the Palgrave Handbook of Climate History is available as a free e-book through Georgetown Library's HoyaSearch.
October 30: the draft syllabus for our Spring 2019 module is now online. Have a look!
