Thanks for visiting. Here you will find my published writings, as well as multimedia projects and university courses, that I have worked on as an historian, writer, and professor. At the College of Charleston, I am a faculty member in the International Studies program, and an affiliate faculty member in the Environmental Studies Program. My research and my teaching engage a range of issues related to globalization, travel and migration, and environmental change in the 21st century. If you have questions about my work or would like to discuss ideas or projects, please send me a note.
Port Cities of the Atlantic World brings together a collection of essays that examine the centuri... more Port Cities of the Atlantic World brings together a collection of essays that examine the centuries-long trans-Atlantic transportation of people, goods, and ideas with a focus on the impact of that trade on what would become the American South. Employing a wide temporal range and broad geographic scope, the scholars contributing to this volume call for a sea-facing history of the South, one that connects that terrestrial region to this expansive maritime history. By bringing the study up to the 20th century in the collection's final section, the editors, Jacob Steere-Williams and Blake C. Scott, make the case for the lasting influence of these port cities—and Atlantic world history—on the economy, society, and culture of the contemporary South.
Unpacked offers a critical perspective on the Caribbean's now taken-for-granted desirability as a... more Unpacked offers a critical perspective on the Caribbean's now taken-for-granted desirability as a tourist's paradise. Dreams of a tropical vacation have become a quintessential aspect of the modern Caribbean, as millions of tourists travel to the region and spend extravagantly to pursue vacation fantasies. At the beginning of the twentieth century, however, travelers from North America and Europe thought of the Caribbean as diseased, dangerous, and, according to many observers, "the white man's graveyard." How then did a trip to the Caribbean become a supposedly fun and safe experience?
Este ensayo explora la manera en que una ruta colonial de comercio y conquista militar se convirt... more Este ensayo explora la manera en que una ruta colonial de comercio y conquista militar se convirtió en una ruta de turismo en el siglo XX. La construcción del Canal de Panamá entre 1904 y 1914 marcó un cambio histórico en la cultura de viajes de los estadounidenses. El turismo a la región del Caribe surgió durante el proceso de la construcción del imperio estadounidense, relacionado con una serie de adelantos científicos e infraestructurales. Este ensayo destaca el rol del Canal de Panamá en la transición del Caribe de ser un lugar malsano a un destino deseado, de un “cementerio del hombre blanco” a un parque de diversión turística tropical.
How did a colonial route of commerce and military conquest become a route of tourism in the twent... more How did a colonial route of commerce and military conquest become a route of tourism in the twentieth century? This essay describes the Panama Canal's role in the Caribbean's transition from diseased to desired, from the 'white man's graveyard' to a tropical playground for tourists.
Port Cities of the Atlantic World brings together a collection of essays that examine the centuri... more Port Cities of the Atlantic World brings together a collection of essays that examine the centuries-long trans-Atlantic transportation of people, goods, and ideas with a focus on the impact of that trade on what would become the American South. Employing a wide temporal range and broad geographic scope, the scholars contributing to this volume call for a sea-facing history of the South, one that connects that terrestrial region to this expansive maritime history. By bringing the study up to the 20th century in the collection's final section, the editors, Jacob Steere-Williams and Blake C. Scott, make the case for the lasting influence of these port cities—and Atlantic world history—on the economy, society, and culture of the contemporary South.
Unpacked offers a critical perspective on the Caribbean's now taken-for-granted desirability as a... more Unpacked offers a critical perspective on the Caribbean's now taken-for-granted desirability as a tourist's paradise. Dreams of a tropical vacation have become a quintessential aspect of the modern Caribbean, as millions of tourists travel to the region and spend extravagantly to pursue vacation fantasies. At the beginning of the twentieth century, however, travelers from North America and Europe thought of the Caribbean as diseased, dangerous, and, according to many observers, "the white man's graveyard." How then did a trip to the Caribbean become a supposedly fun and safe experience?
Este ensayo explora la manera en que una ruta colonial de comercio y conquista militar se convirt... more Este ensayo explora la manera en que una ruta colonial de comercio y conquista militar se convirtió en una ruta de turismo en el siglo XX. La construcción del Canal de Panamá entre 1904 y 1914 marcó un cambio histórico en la cultura de viajes de los estadounidenses. El turismo a la región del Caribe surgió durante el proceso de la construcción del imperio estadounidense, relacionado con una serie de adelantos científicos e infraestructurales. Este ensayo destaca el rol del Canal de Panamá en la transición del Caribe de ser un lugar malsano a un destino deseado, de un “cementerio del hombre blanco” a un parque de diversión turística tropical.
How did a colonial route of commerce and military conquest become a route of tourism in the twent... more How did a colonial route of commerce and military conquest become a route of tourism in the twentieth century? This essay describes the Panama Canal's role in the Caribbean's transition from diseased to desired, from the 'white man's graveyard' to a tropical playground for tourists.
Established in 2022 in Charleston, South Carolina, we are a grassroots and community-based progra... more Established in 2022 in Charleston, South Carolina, we are a grassroots and community-based program working to restore and preserve our local marshland. Our pilot project is the protection, restoration and preservation of Halsey Creek, one of the last remaining tidal creeks on the Charleston peninsula.
We are an eclectic group of parents, students, hydrologists, teachers, greenish-thumbs, artists, and neighbors.
The story of Porcher creek and local efforts to save the tidal creek and marsh from development i... more The story of Porcher creek and local efforts to save the tidal creek and marsh from development in Charleston, South Carolina.
"No matter how bad a day I was having, I could walk across the street, sit on that dock and be st... more "No matter how bad a day I was having, I could walk across the street, sit on that dock and be still and feel whole. It's hard to describe where you come to feel such a deep connection with a place that can be still and moving at the same time and a place where there are so many sensory horizons. All you had to do was tune in. "
The Voices of Southern Hospitality project is a student-driven and community-centered oral histor... more The Voices of Southern Hospitality project is a student-driven and community-centered oral history project that documents the diverse opinions, experiences, and life stories of people who live and work in the Carolina Lowcountry.
Over the past thirty years (early 1990s to present), Charleston and its surrounding islands and communities have experienced rapid economic growth accompanied by remarkable cultural and ecological changes. The Voices of Southern Hospitality project chronicles this profound transformation with the personal histories of Charleston residents.
What are the "commons" and what do they have to do with our collective ecological future? This ca... more What are the "commons" and what do they have to do with our collective ecological future? This capstone examines the history and culture of contemporary human-environmental relations in specific spaces that transcend the interests and rules of any one nation, including the high seas, the atmosphere, Antarctica, and outer space. The course also looks at environmental commons that exist within the boundaries of particular state or regional governments, such as forests, waterways, and other communally-used resources that are historically difficult to manage and govern. There are many different ways to study the commons, including methods and case studies from history, anthropology, political science, economics, and international law. In this course, we will look at the commons from a range of perspectives, but always while analyzing how past actions and events shape the present. We begin the semester by defining current environmental challenges and considering how they relate to seminal theories of the commons (Part 1). From there, we will look at key case studies from the land, sea, and air (Part II), before narrowing the analytical focus to specific regions and communities that rely on communally-pooled resources (Part III). Through this interdisciplinary and cross-regional journey into "commons" theory and experience, our goal is to develop innovative and action-oriented research projects on environmental change in the twenty-first century.
This course explores how human societies and natural environments have interacted and shaped each... more This course explores how human societies and natural environments have interacted and shaped each other around the world - from the sixteenth century to the present. Students examine this dynamic relationship from two angles: one, we study how the history of globalization has depended on and dramatically transformed the natural world; and second, we analyze the rise of global environmental consciousness and its relationship to social movements emerging in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. To ground this formidable and all-encompassing subject, the course introduces key concepts and issues through critical case studies. Students learn about historical events from the Americas, Asia, Africa, and Europe. We focus, in particular, on cultural and economic encounters of colonialism and capitalism, tracing transnational flows of commodities, invasive species, human migrations, and issues of waste and pollution. Finally, in the second half of the course, we take a closer look at " objects of concern " that are in the midst of ecological destruction and social inequality, and in turn, have shaped the way we think about human-environmental relations.
From Europe to the Caribbean to Southeast Asia, tourism has become one of the largest industries.... more From Europe to the Caribbean to Southeast Asia, tourism has become one of the largest industries. How, though, did this come to be? In this course, students study tourism’s transnational history and culture, analyzing the many ways people produce and consume leisure travel. Readings and class discussions focus on key theories and methods for thinking about tourism, mobility, and questions of sustainable and socially just forms of travel. The class also introduces specific case studies of tourism development in Latin America & the Caribbean, Europe, Asia, and Africa. Over the course of the semester, students should gain a deeper understanding of how political, cultural, economic, and environmental issues intersect with international tourism.
What do bananas, sweet desserts, and vacation fantasies have to do with development in the Caribb... more What do bananas, sweet desserts, and vacation fantasies have to do with development in the Caribbean? How have these things – and these ideas – shaped experiences of globalization? In this course, students learn how transnational connections influenced history and culture in the Caribbean. The class begins with Europe's encounter with the Americas and retraces five hundred years of development, from the 1400s to the present. We study the many ways the Caribbean has been imagined and exploited as a paradise, reflecting on the complicated relationship between nature and culture. Our analytical approach will be both thematic and historical, looking closely at specific activities and at specific moments in time. Course themes will include, among others: the history of travel and colonial exploration, the African diaspora, economic production and commodity exchange, cultures of consumption, and human-environmental relations. By the end of the semester, students should have a good understanding of how the twin themes of globalization and paradise have affected contemporary patterns of development.
In this course, students study how communities around the globe – often separated by geography, p... more In this course, students study how communities around the globe – often separated by geography, politics, and culture – are actually interconnected. Analyzing key events that occurred over the last six hundred years (from the early 1400s to the present) students will learn about exchanges and processes that created the modern world. The course focuses on five international themes: 1) the rise of a world capitalist economy; 2) the migration of people, ideas, and technologies; 3) colonialism and later decolonization; 4) modern forms of political power and international governance; and 5) changing human-environmental relations. The class will examine these themes historically, and at the same time, critically assess how history continues to influence the problems and possibilities of the twenty-first century. Upon completion of the course, students should have a clear grasp of concepts, events, and controversies shaping what scholars now call globalization.
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Publications by Blake C Scott
We are an eclectic group of parents, students, hydrologists, teachers, greenish-thumbs, artists, and neighbors.
Over the past thirty years (early 1990s to present), Charleston and its surrounding islands and communities have experienced rapid economic growth accompanied by remarkable cultural and ecological changes. The Voices of Southern Hospitality project chronicles this profound transformation with the personal histories of Charleston residents.