This graduate-level elective explores the complexities of species prioritization under US laws like the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), with a focus on cases where conservation goals for more than one protected species may come into conflict. Students will critically examine these tensions through socio-ecological and socio-economic lenses, analyzing how policy and management decisions are shaped by competing values and recovery strategies.
Structured around weekly thematic modules, the course equips students with the analytical tools necessary to navigate and evaluate prioritization frameworks in natural resource management and policy. Assignments include student-led discussions of peer-reviewed literature, written syntheses and reflections on case studies, and engagement with supplemental readings. Faculty will provide regular feedback to support students’ development as interdisciplinary thinkers and practitioners. Lecture materials will be posted to the Canvas site.
Throughout the quarter, students will participate in collaborative discussions, weekly writing exercises, and peer-facilitated analyses of case studies drawn from current scholarship. The course culminates in a final paper that critically integrates case studies and scientific research, demonstrating each student’s capacity for interdisciplinary synthesis and applied policy insight.
In-person Class Format: This course is offered fully in-person. Students should expect to attend in-person for all class periods. We cannot promise to offer remote attendance options due to illness or other absences. Students should strategize methods for getting notes from class when attendance is not possible.
Class Schedule: Wednesday nights, 6pm-10pm, PST
Qualified undergraduates may be enrolled in an undergraduate CRN for this course with faculty signature approval.
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Environmental studies