Education What is environmental studies

Aithough precedents existed for environmental srudies programs in schaols of foresrey and natural resourees, colleges and universities did not begin to initiate free-standing programs in the field uotil the 19605. But even as environmental programs evolved and diversified, adefinition of environmental studies and clear statements abaut curricular contenr and educational objectives have remained elusive. Now that environmental studies, as a specific curricular emphasis, is mOfe than a quarter century old and is in a new phase of proliferation and expansion, the need for a distinct identity seems more pressing, if onfy to help to counter the hostility to environmental education from some political interests and to res pond to charges that the field lacks rigor. One current trend that is contributing to the indefinablility of environmentaI studies is that of welcoming an increasing disciplinary diversity of faculty. In this artiele, we contend that this trend is causing crises of vision and curricular development, leading to both a paralysis of program planning and hyper-diverse, shallow curricula-"the environmental studies problem." We conelude that until the costs of universalism in environmental studies are recognized and understood, the field will not only remain indefinable but also beeome increasingly ineffeetive in its primary mission: to educate ecologically literate, respansible citizens who are problem solvers and agents of constructive social change. In addition, we explore a set of problems inherent in multidisciplinary pragrams, and we recommend changes in the curriculum and the organization of environmental studies programs.