Environmental Advocacy: From Interest to

What does it take to spark real environmental change? This course invites students to explore how advocacy influences environmental outcomes at the local, national, and global levels. From climate protests and community campaigns to policy negotiations and court rulings, students will examine how activists, scientists, and grassroots groups shape public discourse and government action.

Using case studies and comparative examples, including from the United States and China, the course looks at how environmental advocacy works across different political systems. Topics include environmental justice, the politics of science, institutional dynamics, and how visions for the future of nature are contested and advanced.

Ideal for students interested in sustainability, public policy, or civic engagement, the course emphasizes practical skills and critical thinking. Students will complete short writing assignments and a final project focused on a real-world advocacy effort of their choice. No prior experience with environmental policy is required--just a curiosity about how ideas become action.