Discussion of environmental impacts of COVID-19 offered online by MSU鈥檚 humanities institute
Contact: John Burrow
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擜 草莓视频 faculty member specializing in environmental anthropology and conservation politics will offer insight into the environmental impacts of COVID-19 in a virtual format open for pubic interaction.
David M. Hoffman, associate professor in MSU鈥檚 Department of Anthropology and Middle Eastern Cultures, will present 鈥淚s the Pandemic Good for the Environment鈥 on May 7 at 2 p.m. on the .
In an interview with Julia Osman, director of the Institute for the Humanities and professor of history, Hoffman will share his thoughts on the pandemic鈥檚 鈥渕assive and overnight shift of the political economic landscape鈥 and the impacts the pandemic has鈥攁nd will continue to have鈥攐n the environment.
Osman said she hopes the discussion will help participants understand lessons to be learned through the pandemic.
鈥淚 am really looking forward to interviewing Dr. Hoffman,鈥 Osman said.聽鈥淚鈥檝e seen quick and slick memes on Facebook about how 鈥楳other Earth鈥 just 鈥榥eeded a day off from her kids鈥欌攂ut I鈥檇 love for Dr. Hoffman to explain what that means鈥攚hat specifically is improving and why.鈥
鈥淪o far, the pandemic makes it exceedingly clear that the political and economic systems that undergird our daily lives have vulnerabilities that threaten the status quo, which may or may not be a good thing, depending on your point of view,鈥 Hoffman said. 鈥淭he pandemic and this fragility is making many people rethink what is important. Society, people and the natural world are dependent upon one another and this break from our 鈥榟ecticness鈥 is perhaps helping people realize what is necessary versus unnecessary. The question remains as to whether we will learn these lessons or try to return to the way things were.鈥
Hoffman鈥檚 research in environmental anthropology focuses on sustainable development, resource management, biodiversity conservation, and the interaction of parks and protected areas with the development of adjacent human communities.
He is the graduate coordinator for the Department of Anthropology and Middle Eastern Cultures and serves as adviser for MSU鈥檚 Fulbright Program, Boren Scholarship, and Critical Language Scholarships within the Shackouls Honors College Office of Prestigious External Scholarships.
Hoffman earned his Ph.D. and master鈥檚 degrees in cultural anthropology from the University of Colorado, Boulder, and his bachelor鈥檚 degree in environmental studies and anthropology from St. Lawrence University.
As part of MSU鈥檚 College of Arts and Sciences, the Institute for the Humanities promotes research, scholarship and creative performances in the humanistic disciplines and raises their visibility, both within 草莓视频 and the wider community. The Institute is active on social media on Instagram @msststehumanities, Twitter @Humanities_草莓视频and Facebook @msu.humanities.institute.
MSU鈥檚 College of Arts and Sciences includes more than 5,200 students, 325 full-time faculty members, nine doctoral programs, 14 masters programs, and 27 undergraduate academic majors offered in 14 departments.聽It also is home to the most diverse units for research and scholarly activities, including natural and physical sciences, social and behavioral sciences, and the humanities.聽For more about the College of Arts and Sciences or the Institute for the Humanities, visit or . 聽
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