This seminar studies California water issues from an interdisciplinary perspective, building upon the established California Colloquium on Water (hosted by the Water Resources Center Archive), to increase understanding and appreciation of water resources and contribute to informed decision-making about water in California. Each semester four distinguished scholars in the fields of humanities, natural sciences, engineering, social sciences, law, and environmental design present lectures to students, faculty, and the general public.

Students in the seminar attend the colloquium lectures, complete background readings, and meet for two hours on alternate weeks in the seminar session to discuss issues raised by the colloquium presentations and related readings.

Tuesdays: 315C Worster Hall, 2:00-4:00pm

Lectures WRCA colloquium: 09/12, 10/10, 11/14, 12/05 (see announcements)

Discussion sessions: 09/26, 10/24, 11/28, 12/12 (see class schedule)

Course requirements:

  • attendance at colloquia,
  • attendance and participation in seminars,
  • completion of course readings,
  • brief written critiques of lectures, and
  • a short presentation of literature relevant to colloquium topics.

This course is run as a seminar and student-led discussion.  As such, class time will be based on discussion of monthly readings.  Students are expected to do the readings each month, and be prepared to discuss them critically in discussion session (see below).  Active participation in class discussion is expected. 

 

1. Monthly critical response papers and speakers reviews:  These two-page (1000-word) reviews should critically assess the speakers and authors’ theoretical arguments, and may include discussion of particular issues, specific questions that the lectures/readings raise for you, or a more general critique of the authors’ conceptual frameworks.  They should not be mere summaries of the readings’ key points. 

 

2.  Readings oral presentations.  Students will each be responsible for introducing one month’s readings in the light of that month lecture in discussion session.  They should prepare a presentation of roughly 10-15 minutes that summarizes and critiques the month’s readings and lecture.  Presentations should draw out and critically assess key points for class discussion.  On the week that you present your readings introductions, your critical response paper should be longer-than-usual (1500-word), and form the basis of your presentation.