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Binding: Paperback
ISBN: 978-1-57131-322-5
Pages: 336
Publish Date: Dec, 2010
Genre: Nonfiction
The Nature of College
How a New Understanding of Campus Life Can Change the World
BY James Farrell
Stately oaks, ivy-covered walls, the opposite sex—these are the things that likely come to mind for most Americans when they think about the “nature” of college. But the real nature of college is hidden in plain sight: it’s fl owing out of the keg, it’s woven into the mascots on our t-shirts—it is the mascot, in fact, it’s being made into hamburgers in the cafeteria, formed into new nature in our intestines, and eventually it’s going down the drain. In short, nature is forming and being formed by the habits of our hearts and minds.
A day in the life of a college student in America, a lifetime of lessons for a restorative future.Engaging in a deep and richly entertaining study of “campus ecology,” The Nature of College explores one day in the life of the average student, questioning what “natural” is and what “common sense” is really good for, and weighing the collective impacts of the everyday. In the end, this fascinating, highly original book rediscovers and repurposes the great and timeless opportunity presented by college: to study the American way of life, and to develop a more sustainable, better way to live.
“‘Academic success won’t mean much in a world of ecological failure,’ says Jim Farrell. This lively and insightful guide raises profound issues with a light touch—and speaks to the college student in all of us. I highly recommend it.”
—Peggy Barlett, Goodrich C. White Professor of Anthropology at Emory University and coeditor of Sustainability on Campus: Stories and Strategies for Change“The Nature of College is equal measures sociology, ecology, and clarion call to a bigger vision of higher education. Jim Farrell has thought as deeply as anyone about the real lives of students, the college experience, and how to hitch both to preserving the habitability of the Earth. This should be the first book every college student reads.”
—David W. Orr, Paul Sears Distinguished Professor of Environmental Studies and Politics at Oberlin College and author of Earth in Mind: On Education, Environment, and the Human Prospect“Students, unite! This is a must-read handbook for how to take over the world and make it more sustainable and ethical. It's fast. It's funny. It's wise. It's about love, nature, sex, brushing your teeth, and wearing a pair of jeans—all to make a future that's worthy of your dreams.”
—Jenny Price, author of Flight Maps: Adventures with Nature in Modern America
