HNUH248V

How do we study environmental problems? The course provides an overview of the ways social scientists collect information about environmental issues and environmental change, most of which are driven by society and the social world. The course focuses on learning how to collect data that are reliable and applicable to research questions. Through the lens of specific case studies of environmental efforts currently underway, students will learn how to construct a testable hypothesis, design a small-scale research project, and write up the findings of this work to understand environmental issues. They will develop a critical eye to the structure of social science research: identifying the object of inquiry, noting what is being tested; how it is operationalized; and evaluating the quality of the research conducted. The course requires no background or prerequisites.