University of Maryland Honor's College
This course aims to address social and environmental issues related to biodiversity, threats, and conservation by challenging dominant scientific ideas and promoting inclusivity. It emphasizes the value of integrating indigenous knowledge into Western science explorations. It features an innovative, project-based approach to exploring biodiversity, threats, and conservation in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed, with a particular focus on the diamondback terrapin.
University of Maryland General Studies Course
Big Question” How can the process of decolonization, including acknowledging and integrating Indigenous knowledges, local perspectives, and diverse cultural approaches contribute to more inclusive and equitable approaches to climate change education? Course Description: Effective solutions to climate-related problems must be inclusive of and beneficial to diverse populations. This interdisciplinary course integrates Indigenous Knowledges (IKS) and perspectives in order to challenge assumptions about science, scientific practices, and Eurocentric narratives that traditionally dominate discussions on climate science and climate change education. In this course, we investigate how climate science is measured, understood, communicated, and taught with attention to the perspectives of those who have been historically marginalized, particularly Indigenous Peoples. Our goal is to explore more inclusive and equitable approaches to climate change education, which acknowledges the interconnectedness of environmental issues with social, cultural, and historical contexts. We critically examine historical climate change policies and regulations to deconstruct Western-Eurocentric paradigms impacting environmental justice.