The Missio Dei is the work of God in the world. In this course, students will develop a theological framework for understanding God and his work in the world through an ecological perspective, demonstrating an understanding of the divine purpose for creation.

An advanced evaluation of major theories and research approaches in the field with particular attention to a critical assessment of the role of culture in contemporary communication in various cultures. The course readings, assignments and class discussions intend to prepare the student for evaluating the nexis of communication forms, cultural studies and intercultural communication approaches.

This course focuses on the intersections between contemporary environmental issues, communication dynamics, media and social change. We will explore the unique contribution that communication theory can bring to the study of “the environment” and “the natural world”. We will also consider how these perspectives can inform actionable practices that aim to bolster long-term global environmental sustainability. Case studies will cover a diverse set of environmental topics, including climate change, environmental justice, the global industrial food system, public understandings of scientific risk, human-animal relations, and environmental media and journalism. Course materials will include interdisciplinary readings – drawn not only from communication and media studies, but also political science, geography, the natural sciences and other fields – as well as relevant films, television shows, popular press articles and other multimedia materials. You will be asked to read challenging texts, engage in class discussions and exercises, reflect on a variety of media clips, and think critically about the perspectives brought into conversations by your peers. Taken together, the course will provide theoretical, methodological and practical insights into the theory and practice of environmental communication.

What are the theories and hypotheses commonly tested in ethnobiology? What types of data are collected to test these hypotheses? How are these data analyzed to understand the link between plant and culture, the way in which human, by selecting certain organs on certain plant species in specific location, and at some specific time, have shaped their environment? How environmental feedback constrained the nature and extent of human-plant interactions? The ultimate goal of this class is to guide students in conducting hypothesis/theory-driven research in ethnobiology. We will review various theories and hypotheses in ethnobiology. Second, we will learn the different methods used in ethnobotanical research and finally we will identify the major types of data commonly collected in this field and how these data are analyzed. At the end of this course students will be able to develop and test simple hypotheses in ethnobiology and discuss how they fit into the broad ethnobiology literature. Although this course method is applied to ethnobiology, the course can be of interest to students interested in learning about how to use the scientific method in biology in general.

Ethnochemistry is the study of chemical ideas found in any culture; where an appreciation of cultural heritage is preserved. This course focuses on examining the theories and methods of ethnoscience applied to understanding indigenous understandings of chemistry perspectives as a means of developing communication approaches that bridge from indigenous understanding to scientific concepts. The ultimate goal of this class is to guide students in conducting hypothesis/theory-driven research in ethnochemistry. Students learn the different methods used in ethnochemical research, identify the major types of data commonly collected in this field and how these data are analyzed. At the end of the course students will be able to develop and test simple hypotheses in ethnochemistry and utilize their findings to develop appropriate contextual communication.