The Nature of College

James J. Farrell

oct 2010 · Milkweed Editions

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Stately oaks, ivy-covered walls, the opposite sex—these are the things that likely come to mind for most Americans when they think about the "nature" of college. But the real nature of college is hidden in plain sight: it’s flowing out of the keg, it’s woven into the mascots on our T-shirts.

Engaging in a deep and richly entertaining study of "campus ecology," The Nature of College explores one day in the life of the average student, questioning what "natural" is and what "common sense" is really good for and weighing the collective impacts of the everyday. In the end, this fascinating, highly original book rediscovers and repurposes the great and timeless opportunity presented by college: to study the American way of life, and to develop a more sustainable, better way to live.

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James Farrell is the author of numerous books that examine the American way of life, from One Nation Under Goods: The Malling of America (Smithsonian, 2003) to Inventing the American Way of Death[Temple University Press, 1980). He is the Boldt Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Humanities at St. Olaf College in Northfield, Minnesota, where he developed Campus Ecology, a course that makes students the subject of their own environmental studies. He also speaks to colleges around the country about “greening” college.