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The 2006 tsunami, New Orleans, Burma, Haiti. Earthquakes, hurricanes, tidal waves, pandemics. Is our world becoming a more dangerous place to live in? Why does there seem to be a growing interest in risks, crises and catastrophes? Because of global warming? Because of food shortages? Because of threatening oil shortages and the risk of growing conflicts over resources?
Many questions. One way to deal with them is to explore them historically. Were there always as many catastrophes in the past – or are they increasing? What is humanity responsible for, and what are the effects of natural forces?
This course is a general introduction to environmental history but also covers themes such as landscape, risk, and infrastructure as well as technologies and policies that have provided the framework conditions for human ecological footprints and the built environment. The perspective is global but with numerous examples from Sweden. The chronological focus will be on the modern period, in particular the 20th century.