Zander Albertson

Senior Instructor · he/him

About

I study the sociocultural dimensions of environmental problems and the politics of environmental knowledge. Understanding the environment as a medium through which larger debates play out, I am especially interested in the ways nature acquires meaning and becomes legible in social and technical contexts. I also enjoy considering paradox, ambiguity, and contradiction in environmental politics. My teaching centers around cultivating students capable of engaging problems characterized by competing values, environmental change, and incomplete knowledge.

I teach courses in environmental politics and history, physical geography, and the American West.

Education

BS Geography, Western Oregon University; MA Environmental Studies, Western Washington University

Research Interests

  • Politics of environmental knowledge
  • American West
  • Water politics
  • Environmental controversies
  • Sociology of science
  • US public lands

Publications

  1. Neff, Mark W., and Zander Albertson. “Does Higher Education Prepare Students to Bridge Divides in Today’s Democracy?” Journal of Environmental Studies and Sciences 10, no. 2 (June 2020): 196–204.
  2. Albertson, Zander. “Constructing the Klamath: Nature, Culture, and the Management of a Western River.” Society & Natural Resources 32, no. 7 (July 2019): 790–806.

Teaching Schedule

Fall 2025Winter 2026Spring 2026
ENVS 203: Physical GeographyENVS 303: Human Ecology & EthicsENVS 417: Sci Mgmt Contaminated Sites
ENVS 319: Research & Writing ENVS 426: Water Resources