Sustainability in the arts and humanities

Abstract

The aim of this module is to introduce students to the concept of ‘sustainability’ as perceived from within the Arts and Humanities, in particular within the disciplines of archaeology, classics, history (including art history and landscape history), music, philosophy and theology. The module will review a number of topical issues – such as climate change, food security, water and waste management, landscape, environment and biodiversity – through the lens of the Arts and Humanities to consider how our disciplines can contribute to current debates and offer new routes to sustainable futures.

It is expected that the module will foster and develop students’ knowledge of issues in sustainability and, by placing evidence in its wider context, encourage students to think critically about possible solutions. Importantly, this module will render students ‘educated consumers’, aware that their daily decisions have an impact and that their choices can be equally influential. Above all it is about giving students the confidence, as individuals, to bring about social change for the future

Dr Naomi Sykes, University of Nottingham

My research focuses on human-animal-landscape relationships and how they inform on the structure, ideology and practice of past societies. My approach is to integrate animal bone data with other categories of material culture, and with wider archaeological, historical, scientific and anthropological discussions. As such, my research has wide geographical and temporal applicability.