Systems Approaches to Conservation

This course examines the diversity of life on earth across its different manifestations (biological, cultural, linguistic) and how that diversity is interrelated within a complex and adaptive social-ecological system. Through case studies, students will explore the complexity underlying conservation issues and learn to identify and critique policy and management interventions that aim to explicitly center the social-ecological contexts of biodiversity conservation. Topics include biological and cultural diversity patterns and threats, biocultural approaches to conservation, social-ecological systems theory, feedbacks, and telecouplings.