The Pacific Ocean covers a third of our earth’s surface. Home to over a thousand languages and thousands of years of rich histories, the Pacific has been and continues to be one of the most diverse regions of cultural, social, economic, and environmental interaction. The course focuses on both local connections to the Pacific, such as the New England whaling industry, and global issues, such as the impact of climate change on Pacific islanders. Other topics to be discussed include the environment, oceanic navigation, arts, colonialism, race, and migration. This course will be offered in 2022-23, and in alternating years thereafter.