About Us
The world around us seems to be changing faster and faster, and in ways that are becoming more and more unpredictable and difficult to understand. Among the many phenomena that people in academia, government, the health industry, private business, and other fields are trying to make sense of is our environment and the limits of sustainability.
The minor in Environmental Justice will complement and enrich your studies at John Jay College by informing you about the diverse frameworks employed to discuss and analyze these problems, and better prepare you for a world in which the changing environment is a fundamental aspect of everyday life.
Students taking the Environmental Justice Minor will:
• Understand the basic concepts, issues, and debates surrounding sustainability, sustainable development, and environmental justice.
• Understand how different academic disciplines approach and contribute knowledge to topics related to Sustainability and Environmental Justice, such as environmental political and economic initiatives, social movements, chemical processes, urban planning, artistic works, and ethical considerations of policies and behaviors.
• Apply such analytical skills as qualitative and quantitative reasoning and critical thinking to interpret a broad array of problems and conditions effecting the environment and human habitats.
• Think critically about sustainability and environmental justice issues in society, such as global climate change, pollution, environmental racism, the scarcity of natural resources, and public health concerns resulting from environmental conditions.
• Analyze best practices and policies for sustainability, reflect on how to use them in their everyday lives, and understand their implications for various communities and groups (racial, ethnic, national, class, gender, etc.).