Seminar description
From environmental disasters and ecological collapse to climate change denial and celebrations of nature and wilderness, we will explore the diverse ways humans imagine and write about the natural world and the consequences of such writing.
We will study a variety of nonfiction texts, images, and videos about ecology, the environment, nature, wilderness, and sustainability as we consider what these terms mean. From the 19th century American transcendentalists to 20th century ecologists, and 21st century scientific, Indigenous, feminist, and anti-racist perspectives, we will analyze the many ways that humans use writing to argue for certain ways of seeing and interacting with our planet and the creatures that inhabit it.
Through weekly reading, written reflections, and discussion, students will hone their deep reading, research, and writing skills.
Get to know your professor
Andrea Williams

You can call me…
Professor Williams or Professor Andrea
I just can't live without…
Sunshine—even if it is really cold (I’m like most plants in this respect 😊)
I just can't live without…
Sunshine—even if it is really cold (I’m like most plants in this respect 😊)
My hometown is…
Toronto, Ontario
For my undergraduate degree…
English at Trinity College (sorry, Innis!) here at the University of Toronto.
I am surprisingly good at…
Noticing and identifying flowers and other plants (especially for a humanities person).
Fun fact:
This is a fun but also geeky fact about me: When I was a child, my two favourite imaginary roles to play were “teacher” and “librarian”
If I wasn't teaching, I would be a…
A writer (technical and science communication fascinates me).
What I'm working on now is…
How GenAI is forcing us to reconsider how we think of and practice writing.
Lately, something that has been exciting me about my research/scholarship is…
Ways to centre pleasure and joy in writing instruction.
A fun fact about my field of study is…
Writing, like the environment, is everywhere.
I was inspired to get into this field because…
The close connections between writing and thinking, and writing and knowledge.
My first-year seminar in five words:
- Come for nature, stay for friends.
In a sentence, what you’ll learn in my course:
Different ways to notice, consider, and write about the natural environment and how we relate to it.
One of my favourite things about teaching first-year students is…
Their willingness to try to learn, even when they are scared.
My best advice for those starting their first year…
Keep showing up to class, especially your seminars. It is hard to make up for missed activities and discussions.