This course will investigate the dominant critical perspectives that have contributed to the development of Environmental Communication as a field of study. This course explores the premise that the way we communicate powerfully impacts our perceptions of the "natural" world, & that these perceptions shape the way we define our relationships to & within nature. The goal of this course is to access various conceptual frame woks for addressing questions about the relationship between the environment, culture & communication. Students will explore topics such as nature/wildlife tourism, consumerism, representations of the environment in popular culture & environmental activism.