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Environment and the Sciences
Umwelt und Wissenschaft
Last Updated: 2026-02-05 16:07:31
Abstract
Climate crisis, species extinction and pandemics have made the study of "environment" one of the most important topics in contemporary science. But when did the scientific study of the environment begin, and how did social changes and political upheavals in the 19th and 20th centuries alter the concept of the environment and ecology?
Objective
In the lecture, students become acquainted with the fundamental trajectories of the development in the modern environmental sciences. Through brief and joint analysis of selected source material, the knowledge they gain is applied to concrete topics and critically evaluated.
Content
The lecture focuses on the development of interdisciplinary "environmental sciences" in the 19th and 20th centuries as well as the emergence of an environmental consciousness in related fields such as architecture and the humanities. Emphasis will be placed on the transformation of ancient natural history into a modern ecology, the role of (geo)political factors such as colonialism and the Cold War, the influence of infrastructures on modern environmental sciences, and the importance of social movements and popular science initiatives.
General Information
- Language
- German
- Levels
- DS , DR , MSC
Examination
- Type
- graded semester performance
Course Components
| Type | Title | Time & Place | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| lecture with exercise | Umwelt und Wissenschaft |
|
2 h weekly |
Offered In
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Science in Perspective (In “Science in Perspective”-courses students learn to reflect on ETH’s STEM subjects from the perspective of humanities, political and social sciences. Only the courses listed below will be recognized as "Science in Perspective" courses.)
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Type A: Enhancement of Reflection Competence (SiP courses are recommended for bachelor students after their first-year examination and for all master- or doctoral students. All SiP courses are listed in Type A. Courses listed under Type B are only recommendations for enrollment for specific departments.)
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Doctorate Humanities, Social and Political Sciences (More Information at: )