POL 553 - Turning Down the Temperature: Climate Politics in America

The United States is a significant contributor to global climate change. The American economy and way of life generate greenhouse gasses in the in-country use of fossil fuels and the consumption of goods. Despite intransigence within certain members of the population and the government, the United States has positioned itself as a leader in climate negotiations and in identifying innovative solutions to climate problems. This course considers climate change, climate change politics, and thought about climate change. We will examine the reasons for commitments to climate change (or lack thereof) at the local, state, and federal level. In addition, the course also considers values associated with climate politics, the role of science in climate politics, and undercurrents of skepticism. Ultimately, climate policies have three goals which can work in concert with each other, but not always: preventing climate change from getting worse, dealing with climate change that has and will occur, and potentially turning back the clock on climate change. Each of these decisions have different political challenges involving distinct risks and philosophical underpinnings that will be explored in this course.

Unit(s): 0.5
Instructional Method: Conference
Grading Mode: Letter grading (A-F)
Notes: Graduate course. Offered spring 2026.
Group Distribution Learning Outcome(s):

Identify interactions and influences among various disciplines, fields, theories, analytical strategies, and source materials.
Deploy skills, methods, and knowledge developed in coursework.
Demonstrate close, analytical interpretations of source materials in one’s writing.
Conduct complex research, synthesize it, and argue persuasively in support of a claim based on evidence.
Analyze the value and significance of one’s own academic and creative work, and situate it within the context of similar works.
Express oneself articulately in oral discussion and in presentational modes when appropriate, and express oneself articulately in writing.