This course introduces students to the field of environmental studies and the diverse topics of environmental research being conducted at Tulane. This interdisciplinary area of study explores environmental problems through a multitude of perspectives and complementing scientific analyses with considerations of philosophical, historical, economic, political, and cultural factors. Major concepts to be examined include: the state of scientific research, the role of the natural and social sciences in environmental decision-making, and the importance of history, ethics and justice in approaches to addressing contemporary environmental issues, such as biodiversity loss, global climate change, and natural resource depletion.