HUMAN DIMENSIONS
OF NATURAL RESOURCES
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OVERVIEW
OVERVIEW
“Resources are not, they become.”
Erich Zimmermann (1933)
Natural resource management and conservation are social processes with core behavioral, social, institutional, and cultural elements like human values, beliefs, histories, rules, and practices. Natural resource professionals, therefore, require competency in areas relevant to these elements—i.e., participation, research, planning, and policy. Common to all these competency areas are knowledge of how people think, decide, and act, and the subsequent effects on and feedback from the resources we aim to conserve, sustain, and manage.
NRS 555 is an intellectually intensive, discussion-based graduate course that surveys these human dimensions of natural resources (HDNR). The course examines foundational principles of participation and research that incorporate theory and methodology from the behavioral, social, policy, and decision sciences; with forays into conflict resolution, transdisciplinary approaches, and collaborative practices.
EXPECTATIONS
EXPECTATIONS
NRS 555 is an intellectually intensive, discussion-based graduate course. The course content is designed as an introduction to topics germane to the behavioral, social, political, and institutional dimensions of natural resources management and conservation. The primary determinant of what you learn and your success in the course will come from deliberate engagement with the course materials and discussions, both within and beyond the scope of the course content and topics.
You are expected to fully engage with the course content, i.e., the concepts, theories, methods, and perspective presented and discussed. You are also expected to use course content to explore your own interests, share your interests and insights in discussions and assignments, and discover ways that course content can help with your own research and professional aspirations (i.e., adapt them to support your program of study and interests). General course expectations include:
Be properly (proactively) prepared
Students should read and re-read assigned materials, prepare notes on key passages, prepare interpretive arguments they wish to make, and discuss the material with fellow students in advance of class periods.
Professionalism includes the ability to express yourself clearly, in written and/or verbal format.
Work is due by the start of a class unless stated otherwise by the instructor.
Be an active participant
Active participation is defined as: (a) punctuality, attendance, and engagement; (b) staying on track with course schedule; (c) preparation before class and completion of assignments; (d) seeking out-of-class support as needed.
Sharing ideas or views with others can be a challenge but is required of any scientific or participatory enterprise. Be prepared to share your thoughts with others and have them be discussed or constructively critiqued.
Attend consistently
Regular, synchronous class attendance is required. Absence is acceptable in cases of university excused absences or for professional reasons discussed in advance with the instructor.
This course takes place in the early evening and I understand there may be situations where someone needs to get in touch with you during class. As such, please turn your phone ringers to “silent” or “vibrate,” and exit the room to take any important calls. The same goes for text messaging.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
By the end of the course, you should be able to:
Describe the practical, conceptual, and philosophical foundations of HDNR work.
Explain how various disciplines, fields, paradigms, etc. contribute to HDNR work.
Explain and synthesize participation principles and processes in HDNR work.
Explain and synthesize research principles and processes in HDNR work.
Construct a personal working definition of “human dimensions” that informs your current/planned graduate research and your current/planned professional practice.
Apply HDNR knowledge to a contemporary natural resource management issue and/or decision.
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