Environmental History and the Human Factor:

The course explores environmental history and examines the interactions between humans and their environment, focusing on how environmental conditions such as climate, topography, water resources, vegetation, and wildlife have shaped the fate of human societies throughout history. Thus, we will discuss examples from around the world, including the collapse of ancient civilizations like Easter Island and the Mayan cities, and assess the environmental factors that may have contributed to their decline.

The course will also analyze how humans adapted to challenging living conditions in ancient times, such as through the development of traditional water systems in arid regions as local societies adaptations. Additionally, we will also address the transformative impacts of the Industrial Revolution like urbanization, technological progress, and accelerated resource consumption, and their implications for both society and the environment. Finally, we will consider contemporary environmental challenges and explore what lessons can be drawn from the past to address future issues like climate change, resource depletion, and environmental pollution.

Objectives:

    • Understand the principles of environmental history and its contribution to the study of human–environment relations over time.
    • Identify environmental, social, and economic factors that shaped human societies and cultures.
    • Examine how humans influenced their environment and adapted to environmental changes.
    • Analyze case studies of natural disasters, industrialization, and urbanization and their socio-ecological impacts.
    • Gain familiarity with the evolution of conservation, sustainability, and environmental activism in Israel and worldwide.
    • Develop a critical perspective and historical methodologies for addressing 21st-century environmental challenges.

 

Outline:

Lesson 1: Introduction to Environmental History and the Dynamic Relationships Between Humans and Their Environment
An introduction to the field of environmental history and the key questions it explores. We will examine how physical conditions, climate, and resources shaped human society, and how humans became a shaping force in their environment.
Readings:

    • Hughes (2001). An Environmental History of the World: Humankind’s Changing Role in the Community of Life, chapter 1, pp. 4–10.
    • McNeill, J.R. (2003). Observations on the Nature and Culture of Environmental History. History and Theory, 42: 5–43.
    • Levin, N. (2006). The Palestine Exploration Fund Map (1871–1877) of the Holy Land as a Tool for Analyzing Landscape Changes: The Coastal Dunes of Israel as a Case Study. The Cartographic Journal, 43(1), 45–67.

Lesson 2: Environment and the Collapse of Civilizations (Part I)
A discussion on the mechanisms of collapse in human societies and the roles of limited natural resources, climate change, and overexploitation. We will analyze the case of Easter Island and draw lessons for the modern world.
Readings:

    • Diamond, J. (2008). Collapse, chapter 2, pp. 79–114.
    • DiNapoli, R. J., et al. (2019). Rapa Nui (Easter Island) Monument (Ahu) Locations Explained by Freshwater Sources. PLOS ONE, 14(1), e0210409.

Lesson 3: Environment and the Collapse of Civilizations (Part II)
An in-depth look at the interconnections between environment, society, and economy in ancient cultures. We will examine environmental and social factors behind the collapse of the Maya cities and compare additional examples.
Readings:

    • Diamond, J. (2008). Collapse. Tel Aviv: Matar, chapter 5, pp. 147–165.

Lesson 4: The Eruption of Santorini as a Case Study
An analysis of the impact of a natural catastrophe on an ancient human community. We will examine how natural disasters shaped settlement patterns, mythology, technology, and social adaptation.
Readings:

    • Sivertsen, B. J. (2009). The Minoan Eruption, The Parting of the Sea.
    • Druitt, T. H. (2014). New Insights into the Initiation and Venting of the Bronze-Age Eruption of Santorini (Greece), from Component Analysis. Bulletin of Volcanology, 76(2), 794.

Lesson 5: The Industrial Revolution and Contemporary Issues
A discussion of the far-reaching transformations caused by industrialization, urbanization, and technology in human–environment relations. We will explore the origins of the modern ecological crisis and the roots of environmental thought.
Readings:

    • Hughes, D. (2001). An Environmental History of the World, chapter 8, pp. 188–224.

Lesson 6: Environmental History in Israel: Overview and Case Studies (Part I)
An introduction to environmental processes in the history of the Land of Israel: landscape changes, water and natural resource use, and the relationships between ecology, culture, and local identity.
Readings:

    • De-Shalit, A. (1995). From the Political to the Objective: The Dialectics of Zionism and the Environment. Environmental Politics, 4(1), 70–87.
    • Issar, A. S., & Guvrin, Y. (1991). Climatic Change and the Desertification of the Negev at the End of the Byzantine Period. Cathedra, 61, 67–83.
    • Mart, Y. (2010). A Short History of Sea Level and Possible Conclusions. Galileo, July 2010, pp. 26–32.

Lesson 7: Environmental History in Israel: Overview and Case Studies (Part II)
Further exploration of historical case studies—such as drainage, construction, and agricultural projects—to understand the power dynamics between humans and their environment in different periods.
Readings:

    • Duani, M. (2012). The Establishment of the Hula Nature Reserve as a Complementary Opposition to the Hula Drainage Project. Horizons in Geography, 78, pp. 64–81.
    • Beleslav, Y. (2012). Pollution and Purification of Tel Aviv’s Shoreline. Horizons in Geography, 78, pp. 103–121.

Lesson 8: Water and Sustainable Agriculture (Online Lesson)
An examination of traditional and innovative methods of water conservation and sustainable agriculture in arid regions. We will analyze the contribution of ancient water systems to understanding contemporary environmental issues.
Readings:

    • Rubin, R. (1988). Water Conservation Methods in Israel’s Negev Desert in Late Antiquity. Journal of Historical Geography, 14(3), 229–244.

Lesson 9: Humans and Historical Earthquakes in the Levant
A review of the impact of earthquakes on urban and social spaces throughout history. We will discuss human coping strategies and the cultural dimensions of destruction and reconstruction.
Readings:

    • Zohar, M., Salamon, A., & Rubin, R. (2025). A Reassessment of Earthquakes in the Land of Israel and Its Surroundings and the Damage They Caused from the First Millennium BCE to the Early Twentieth Century. Horizons in Geography.

Lesson 10: Humans and Environment in Caesarea and Its Surroundings
Presentation of the region and its environmental challenges through the PBL (Problem-Based Learning) approach — examining environmental issues as preparation for the study tour.

Study Tour to the Caesarea Region:

Lesson 11: Presentation of Final Projects

Lesson 12: Environmental History of the Future
Exploring human responsibility for the future of the environment and the application of historical lessons to addressing the climate crisis.
Readings:

    • Trachtenberg, M., Alterman, R., Ben-David, D., Perry, D., Bechor, S., Lev-Ami, S., Han, A., Katz, D., & Elkan, D. (2018). The Implications of Future Population Density Rates for Israel in 2050 — in the Fields of Economy, Housing, Education, Open Spaces, Transportation, Health, Environment, and Water. Tzafuf – Forum for Population, Environment, and Society.