The Institute for Social Ecology (ISE) has announced a new round of online classes, starting in February.
Based in north-central Vermont, ISE has offered experiential radical education and support for grassroots organizing and community-building for nearly 50 years. Social Ecology advocates a reconstructive and transformative outlook on social and environmental issues, and promotes a directly democratic, confederal politics
First, in the new round of classes, ISE is offering a brand-new course called “Solarpunk, Art, and Social Ecological Aesthetics,” taught by the Solarpunk Surf Club. They argue that the emerging artistic current of solarpunk is well-suited to be the aesthetic, in the sense of a philosophy of beauty, of social ecology, and that social ecology should be the political grounding of solarpunk. This class will begin on February 1, running for ten weeks on Wednesdays at 7pm Eastern time. Register here, and check out their syllabus here.
Second, Chaia Heller will be teaching her new course entitled “Feminism and Ecofeminism: A Social Ecology Approach.” This class is updated from the ISE feminism curriculum she taught for many years, now adapted into an online course format. It covers (eco)feminist thought from Mary Wollstonecraft to Audre Lorde to the Kurdish women’s movement, to help us think through and respond to the social crises of our present and the future. It will begin on February 14, with weekly class sessions on Tuesdays at 1pm Eastern time for eight weeks. Register here, and see the syllabus here.
Third, ISE will again be hosting “Food and Climate Justice” with Brian Tokar and Grace Gershuny. This course covers a range of food sovereignty and environmental justice movements and issues, with guest speakers from around the world at each session. They have newly expanded the class to run for eight weeks (previously six), and it will begin on February 14, meeting weekly on Thursdays at 1pm Eastern. Register here.
As always, ISE’s courses are available for free or reduced rates on the basis of need. Reach out if you need a scholarship to participate. If you would like to help cover the participation of low-income students, you can do so here. ISE greatly appreciates the support.
You can sign up today or gift one to a friend. Details here: https://social-ecology.org/wp/learn/online-courses/. All of these classes can also be taken for college credit or as a self-directed flex course.
