Spring 2026
Eco-Anthropology: Garbage, Culture, and the Human–Earth Relationship
Dates: January 27, 2026 - May 19, 2026Day/Time: Tuesday; Thursday 10:05 AM - 11:30 AM EDT
Level: 200-Level
Certificate: Global Studies, Sustainability and Climate Solutions
Instructor: Felix Kaputu, Simon's Rock at Bard College
This course examines garbage through the lens of environmental anthropology, exploring how waste production, circulation, and treatment shape human societies and their ecosystems. Garbage is not merely a byproduct but also a cultural marker that reflects values, practices, and inequalities. Students will analyze how waste has become deeply ingrained in daily life, influencing urban planning, rural livelihoods, public health, and environmental change. By foregrounding the anthropology of waste, the course highlights the complex social processes through which communities normalize or contest garbage, while considering the broader ecological consequences that extend beyond sanitation and disease. Special attention will be given to the linkages between waste, climate change, and biodiversity loss, as well as to how states, corporations, and grassroots actors manage or mismanage garbage. By connecting local practices to global ecological systems, the course encourages students to critically examine their own routines, cultural assumptions, and environmental responsibilities.
Credits: 3 US / 6 ECTS