Environmental Justice Seminar

Description:

This seminar addresses the issues of environmental racism and environmental justice. Environmental racism is any policy, practice, or directive that, intentionally or unintentionally, results in a decision with environmental impacts that differentially affect or disadvantage individuals, groups, or communities based on race, color, or economic background, as well as the exclusionary or restrictive practices that limit participation by these same people in decisionmaking. Environmental justice both corrects the differential impacts and promotes equal access to decisionmaking bodies on environmental issues.

The seminar focuses on current environmental justice issues affecting Portland communities, as well as issues of regional, state or national importance. Students work with community based groups or other organizations, adding value to a group’s current environmental justice efforts. In past seminars, students have worked on such issues as childhood lead poisoning, grantwriting, brownfields/contaminated land, Interstate MAX and Urban Renewal, anti-immigrant organizing in the environmental movement, air quality/OR Steel, smart growth and sustainable development.

Students are graded on a paper, a presentation, and class participation.

The Environmental Justice Law and Theory class is a recommended prerequisite course, but not required.

Meets B Writing Requirement.