Contacts: Michael Medler, Huxley College of the Environment, (360) 650-3173 or Michael.Medler@wwu.edu.
BELLINGHAM - As a part of the Huxley College Department of Environmental Studies Colloquium, recent Huxley graduate Brett Matulis will discuss the focus of his master's degree work in a presentation titled "Reconstructing Nature Travel: Social-Nature and Equitable Ecotourism."
The presentation is free and open to the public, and will take place at 3 p.m. Friday, May 22, in Communications Facility room 125.
Matulis contends that while ecotourism in Costa Rica may be seen as an environmentally and economically positive practice, it conceals uneven power relationships and leaves themes of social justice and equity unaddressed.
The presentation will focus on Costa Rica and how the Costa Rican landscape is unevenly constructed both in the minds of ecotourists and physically on the ground. Matulis argues that nature on the Osa Peninsula is increasingly being redefined as separate to Costa Rican society, causing the society itself to be reconfigured. Furthermore, the entire process is controlled by an elite minority leading to a state of inequality supported by acceptance of new dominant ideas about nature in Costa Rica.
WWU's Huxley College of the Environment is one of the oldest environmental colleges in the nation and a recognized national leader in producing the next generation of environmental stewards. The College's academic programs reflect a broad view of the physical, biological, social and cultural world. This innovative and interdisciplinary approach makes Huxley unique. The College has earned international recognition for the quality of its programs.
For more information on the presentation, please contact Michael Medler, Huxley College of the Environment, at (360) 650-3173 or Michael.Medler@wwu.edu.
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