FRE 385 - Climate Catastrophes

Note: This class is taught in French

This interdisciplinary course will explore climate catastrophes in the francophone regions of Asia, the Pacific Ocean, and the Indian Ocean. It will begin with theoretical frameworks of environmental disaster and its relationship to (neo)colonialism in the Francophone context, including Malcom Ferdinand’s decolonial ecology, Isabelle Stengers’ Au temps des catastrophes, and the popular notion of la collapsologie. The second part of the course will highlight those groups that are most affected by climate catastrophes, yet far too often remain invisible, due to race, gender, species, or wealth. This will allow us to consider perspectives from postcolonial studies, ecofeminism, critical animal studies, and indigenous studies. The last half of the course will apply these frameworks to specific cases from the Francophone regions of Asia, the Pacific Ocean, and the Indian Ocean. We will study issues as diverse as nuclear testing in French Polynesia to deforestation in the former colony of French Indochina. Assignments will include weekly discussion board postings, analytical papers, an oral presentation, and a final project.

Satisfies Justice, Equality and Community requirement.
Counts in the Environmental Studies major and minor.
Satisfies French and Francophone Studies major and minor requirement.