Barnard College Barnard College

Environmental Justice

Harlem Grown
Students volunteering at Harlem Grown

Barnard’s climate vision acknowledges the role of women and people of color in defining climate solutions, and the intersectionality of climate and social justice. We are committed to expanding our work at this intersection, while providing support to students and amplifying the voices of communities of color as we work together to find solutions.

Academics

Barnard’s faculty brings expertise in environmental sciences, sustainability, and social justice, and are working to provide students the tools to create a more equitable future. The Consortium of Critical Interdisciplinary Studies recently launched an Environmental Humanities minor, the Environmental Science department offers a major and minor, and the Anthropology department offers the Political Ecology Track. For additional information click here.

  • Courses: this academic year Barnard is offering a variety of courses that explore environmental justice. Below are just a few highlights, please also see the full list of sustainability related-courses:
    • Fall 2020
      • WMST UN3311 - Feminist Theory, taught by Marisa Solomon in the Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies department. 
      • ANTH UN1002 - The Interpretation o f Culture Professor, taught by Paige West in the Anthropology department.
      • ANTH BC3932 - Climate Change, Global Migration, Human Rights in the Anthropocene, taught by J.C. Salyer  in the Anthropology department.
      • ANTH BC3234 Indigenous Place-Thought, taught by Severin Fowles in the Anthropology department.
      • EESC BC3300 - Workshop in Sustainable Development, taught by Logan Brenner in the Environmental Science department.
      • BIOL BC1002 - Global Health and Ecology, taught by Diana L Heller in the Biology department.
      • ARCH UN 3201 - Advanced Architectural Design: Climate Justice Observatory, taught by Joeb Moore and Irina Verona in the Architecture department.
    • Spring 2021
      • HIST BC2366 - Climate & History. Intersecting Science, Environment and Society, taught by Angelo Caglioti in the History department.
      • WMST 2140 - Critical Approaches, taught by Marisa Solomon in the Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies department.
      • EESC-BC3027 - Urban Ecosystems, taught by Elizabeth Cook in the Environmental Science department.
      • ANTH-BC2427 - Anthropology of Climate Change, taught by Paige West in the Anthropology department.
      • HRTS-GU4600 - Human Rights in the Anthropocene, taught by Noah B. Chasin in the Human Rights department.
      • SPAN-BC3180 - Between Science Fiction and Climate Fiction, taught by Orlando Bentancor from the Medieval & Renaissance Studies department.

 

Talks and research: Barnard’s faculty and BCRW have a variety of talks and research studies. Here are just a few:

 

Campus Culture & Operations 

  • Circular Campus: Barnard aims to build the nation's first "Circular Campus." Alongside the department of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, and Access Barnard, we are building a holistic approach based on circular economy principles, designed to reduce waste, emissions, and costs, transform consumption patterns on campus, while increasing access and affordability for our students. 
  • ThirdSpace @ brings together members of the Barnard community who long to make change. Through SPARK, students become ignited by ideas. In BUILD circles, students hone the skills to make change where they are, growing, healing, and building, supported by the people around them. 
  • Your Grandmother's Sustainability: In efforts to promote sustainable education and practices, we are creating a campaign for students to learn the core of sustainability as a historical, global and accessible set of behaviors.  


 

Events:

Dialogues for Change: Careers and Climate Action
Dialogues for Change: Careers and Climate Action

Previous events: