Starting in-person courses again at the University of Washington after a year of Zoom has proved to be an unfamiliar and interesting time. Not knowing what we as students were getting ourselves into is what made me most drawn to this course. I was most intrigued by the title because quite frankly I was unaware of what exactly “the Political Ecology of Death” referred to. Especially after a period of time in which we all were going through loss, instability, and misdirection, I decided to register for this course. I believe that not enough of us coherently think about our political decisions as a matter of life or death. It is interesting to see how strangers who are just meeting for the first time deal with the fear of and acceptance of dying.
To grasp the fact that we inevitably will all die unbeknownst of our actions, weighed on me as I begin exploring the concepts of this course. Although the topics we have discussed these first few weeks resonate with my personal life, all I have been coming back to is our lack of awareness for organisms other than ourselves. As we get sucked into the day-to-day routine of life, it’s easy to justify the “small things”. This could simply mean, taking an extra-long shower or grabbing your favorite take-out in its styrofoam container. Our mentality towards living has now led to the destruction of our environment. So far, this course has shown me that rather than fearing death, collectively we all should bear the responsibility of trying to understand and accept living while dying.
As a political science major, environmental law has always been one of my areas of focus. I believe this course will be a great bridge to the other courses I have taken throughout University. What has stood out to me the most since beginning this course, is our focus on contemplative practice. Taking the time to check-in with yourself and how you are feeling has always been something that I value. This is the first course where I have encountered a Professor who has carved out a specific time for students to do this. This being my first blog post of the quarter, I am excited to see how much growth and awareness I gain as we navigate living within the Anthropocene.
James, Frances. “Strengthening Climate Change Literacy to Combat the Climate Crisis.” QS, Publisher Name QS Quacquarelli Symonds Publisher Logo, 8 Dec. 2020, https://www.qs.com/strengthening-climate-change-literacy-to-combat-the-climate-crisis/.
This is profound and true that “we all should bear the responsibility of trying to understand and accept living while dying” , It seems to me that the opposite side of this serious edict is also true – that we should also relish and enjoy life- maybe even moreso since we know it is fleeting, Environmental law can be an exciting way to preserve nature and undo great harm and thereby leave your mark to transcend when you’re gone. ( in the far, far future)