Fall 2010

The Harbor and the Hudson - UENV 2411 A

Professor(s):  Robert Buchanan 
Day(s):  MW
Time(s):  12:00 pm - 1:20 pm 
CRN:  6927
Credits:  3
Prerequisite(s): 

Course Description
This course offers an introduction to the geography, history, and contemporary politics of New York Harbor, its surrounding estuary, and the principal waterways--especially the Hudson River--that connect to it. Weekly lectures and multimedia presentations by New School faculty and guests will address a wide range of harbor- and Hudson-related topics, including the state of Native American society at contact; the cultural legacy of New Amsterdam; the harbor's contribution to the rise of New York City as an economic powerhouse; the role of the Hudson in the development of a new national psyche and the distinctly American lifestyle and sensibility that resulted; and the contemporary prospects for the ecological restoration of the estuary and the watershed that feeds it. At least four Saturday field trips will be offered; attendance at a minimum of two of them is mandatory.