Current/upcoming classes at the University of Michigan:
Indigenous Environmental Justice
Proposed Course Description: This course locates the beginning of the environmental justice movement in the resistance against European colonization. We will learn from a variety of Indigenous perspectives worldwide, with a focus on Turtle Island/Abya Yala (North America). The concept of kinship and reciprocity will guide learning in order to provide a lens through which environmental issues, Indigenous rights, cultural survival, and traditional ecological knowledge can be understood. The course will unpack the historical and ongoing impacts of colonization, development, racism and resource extraction on Indigenous communities and other marginalized groups, and highlight Indigenous-led resistance, activism, and the experiments in sustainable futures of regenerative relationality.
Holy Sh!t: Your Poop and why it matters to G!d
Proposed Course Description: Human excreta is generally considered waste, but this is a modern idea. Since time immemorial people have had to deal with urine and feces, and did so in different ways. You can learn a lot about a society based on how they deal (or don't) with their crap--literally and metaphorically. And what does poop have to do with religion? What you learn in this course may surprise you. The class format is mainly lecture and discussion that delves into, and builds on, the readings. Some classes will feature videos, guest speakers, or other interactive components.
I love teaching! I have been teaching actively since 2007, when I was a Fulbright English Language Teaching Assistant in Rosario, Argentina.
I teach in many settings, often incorporating popular education methods with lecture, as well as singing, emotionally intelligent somatic experiencing, and coaching as well. This means my classroom is trauma informed and attentive to the power dynamics in every setting. Though I thoughtfully prepare for each teaching engagement, I am a flexible pedagogue that adapts to what is emerging in the classroom and/or community learning setting. I am energized in both in-person and online teaching spaces.
In just my second semester of doctoral work, I was invited to co-teach a course on environmental grief. In response to student protests, I co-created a course called "Diversity and Knowledge of the Environment," which I taught four times. It was regularized in the curriculum of SUNY-ESF and is the flagship course at that institution for fulfilling the New York state's requirement that all students take a course related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and social justice. I effectively transferred it over to an associate professor. In my last semester I am teaching an upper level class in the Religion department at Syracuse University.
Given the following Comprehensive Exam Area Specialties, I can teach in a variety of areas:
Environmental Studies
Human Rights to Food, Nutrition, Water, and Sanitation
Environmental Decision Making in Complex Contexts
Environmental Justice
Ecological Sanitation
Religion
Theories and Methods in the Study of Religion
Ethnography
Animism
Excreta and Discard in Religious Ritual Perspectives
As a part of my matriculation through my PhDs, I am preparing an teaching philosophy statement and compiling my teaching portfolio. Until I post that here, please see my Curriculum Vitae for additional information regarding my teaching experience.