Environmental Leadership:
An Experiential Inquiry into Watershed Restoration
(CIS 100-99; 2 ½ credits)

Faculty:
Dale Bryan, M.A., Center for Interdisciplinary Studies
Lisa Brukilacchio, EdM., Jonathan M. Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service

This integrated seminar internship component will explore both the limits and potential of strategic action in environmental movement and in civic innovations to meet community needs. At the broadest level, we will be concerned with the obstacles to and the possibilities of environmental movement to assist in stemming habitat degradation and in enhancing quality of life. Our particular case study addresses attempts by the MWC to restore the Mystic River watershed.

Environmental movement and watershed restoration strategies will be investigated for claims of the fundamental social, cultural, economic, political, technological, and ecological processes needed for watershed restoration. Students' explorations will be based on seminar readings and internship journals or portfolios. The companion courses and public events will provide additional materials, analyses, and experiences for critical reflection.

In this interactive, experiential learning process, students will develop methodologies and skills for applying course readings and class discussions to analyses of internship and organizational activities. Conversely, based on internship participation with community groups and municipal and/or regulatory agencies students will critically question and discuss the theories and social science interpretations and explanations of movement efforts to bring about social change generally, and environmental movement efforts at watershed restoration particularly.

This intentional linkage and interrogation of theory and practice will enable students to better understand both the concrete civic participation and the academic analyses. Students will also gain a more grounded understanding of the relationship of social movements, strategy, and social change, and of environmental leadership and civic innovation. Research papers, journals and project portfolios will also give a grounded perspective into movement and citizenship embodied in Tufts University's role and contributions to civic environmentalism for watershed restoration.

Top of Page