Professor: Lisa Munger
4 credits
Marine mammals (whales, dolphins, seals, and a few others) occupy a special place in the human psyche. Throughout history, we have hunted, feared, and revered our sea-dwelling mammalian relatives. This course will explore the role of marine mammals in human society from a variety of perspectives, including traditional knowledge, science, folklore and myth, art, literature, and popular media. In this course, we will create works (written, graphic, audio/visual, etc.) that review, synthesize, and critique topics of your choice within the course framework. By doing so, we will sharpen our analytical skills, gain appreciation for different ways of knowing, and reflect on our own beliefs about these charismatic animals.
Lisa Munger is a marine biologist who specializes in marine ecology and underwater sound. She taught in the CHC from 2019-2024 and will be rejoining the CHC core faculty in Fall 2026 after spending two years at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa.