2018 Conference

Individual Paper Presentation

In recent years, students at Western Washington University have noticed an increased need for a drastic shift in the way the environment is studied and taught, especially when considering the variety of vulnerable communities impacted by climate change, environmental hazards, and the need for policies that empower and protect people.

The Environmental Justice Minor, created by students and faculty, will create a space both inside and outside of the university to critically interrogate relationships between power, privilege, and the natural environment. This program supports the radical notion of giving students the power to control and develop their education and learn the skills necessary for real-world application. Additionally, this student-led program allows for a critique of the traditional framing of materials and exclusion of minority groups common in institutions of higher education. In development of the minor, the employment of student surveys found interest and support for a curriculum focused on the intersection of the environment and social justice at WWU. Thus, by listening closely to the academic needs and interests of students, this minor will ideally reflect the future of environmental justice and activism, both at the university and in the United States for future generations.

This presentation will explore the role of universities to provide a space for students to challenge their previously held beliefs about environmentalism to incorporate a social justice perspective to solve crucial political and environmental demands. We then will share our experiences as students currently engaging in this process and provide some insights gained regarding these alterations to our own preconceived notions on environmental justice, and how then we plan to implement this growth moving forward.