Introduction
This unit is the first in our two unit section on Environmental issues. This first unit will provide you with an appreciation of the connection between Canadian economic history and our perception and treatment of the natural environment. You will learn how the idea of nationalism and the fact of race and class were and are integral in this story. You will discover the context in which the environmental movement began and consider the strategies it has used. You will be invited to consider basic environmental theories such as ‘resourcism’ and ‘environmental racism’, and where and when they may be useful tools for understanding Canadian resource projects.
Learning Objectives
By the end of this unit, you will be able to….
- Identify the main themes in the history of environmentalism in Canada
- Explain the contemporary issues in resource development
- Evaluate past and current environmental activist strategy and outcomes and Canadian environmental policy.
Assignment 3 | Summary and Analysis
Length: 700 words minimum
Instructions
This unit has three resources: a scholarly article by Theodore (Ted) Binnema and Melanie Niemi, another by John Henry Harter, and a documentary on Greenpeace by Jerry Rothwell.
In a combined summary/ analysis of between 700 and 800 words, answer the following questions, incorporating what you have learned or read so far in the course:
- What is Binnema and Niemi’s main argument, and how well do they support it? Explain and critique their message or methodology.
2. What is John Henry Harter’s thesis? Assess his supporting points, and explain what he is trying to say about the connection between environmentalists and working class foresters?
3. What is the main message of the Greenpeace documentary? Is this a nostalgic gloss, or do you believe it accurately convey the choices and strategies and spirit of the early organization? What do you believe you can say, having watched this film and reflecting on what you’ve read elsewhere or in this course about the history of Greenpeace? What questions does the film make us ask?
Required Reading
- Binnema, Theodore Ted, and Melanie Niemi. “‘let the line be drawn now’: Wilderness, Conservation, and the Exclusion of Aboriginal People from Banff National Park in Canada.” Environmental History 11, no. 4 (2006): 724-750.
- Harter, John-Henry. “Environmental justice for whom? Class, new social movements, and the environment: A case study of Greenpeace Canada, 1971-2000.” Labour/Le Travail (2004): 83-119.
- Video: How to Change the World, Jerry Rothwell (2015) Available in most public libraries, and for purchase through itunes. See trailer below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U-XQAN9L_MQ
Assignment Grading Criteria:
| Criteria | Weight |
| Comprehensive: The submission is thorough, answering all of the questions with reference to the relevant articles/materials. It meets the length requirement as specified in the respective units of the outline. |
/3 |
| Critical: The submission demonstrates your thoughtful critical reflection on the readings/ materials. Where applicable it shows the connections with the themes of other units in the course. | /5 |
| Clear: The submission is clear, organized and grammatically correct. | /2 |
