Topic for Winter 2018: Global Rivers
This course examines the cultural and environmental politics of river systems. Rivers sustain human life and are sources of political power. They connect states, nations, and regions; serve as conduits for travel and exchange. Rivers act as drainage systems transporting human and industrial waste. They generate energy, provide sustenance, and sustain human recreation. Attempts to control rivers in order to minimize flooding, to promote agricultural, mining, and manufacturing industries, and to mitigate water shortages and droughts, have been among the most contentious enterprises in human history. Through an examination of case studies this course will investigate the impact of human activity on global river systems, transnational regimes of hydrological infrastructures and the availability and transformation of water resources. Open to all students.