Author Archives: admin
Teaching US Environmental History during Trump’s first 100 days
This semester I found myself teaching U.S. Environmental History in what I’ll just call a disturbing political climate (har) for those of us concerned with our environment. In the past four months, Scott Pruitt, a “climate change denialist” and the former … Continue reading
The Jamestown Colony, Donald Trump, and the Problem of Patriarchal Leadership
*Edward Maria Wingfield’s 1607-08 presidency of the Jamestown Colony might lend insight to PEOTUS Donald Trump’s refusal to divest from his business holdings Last semester’s Colonial America class inevitably spent some time thinking about the Jamestown Colony, especially the struggles … Continue reading
About that “great, great wall”
Following the Republican National Convention, Donald Trump is officially the party’s nominee for president. Talk of a wall on the US-Mexico border has been less apparent in the headlines lately than plagiarism, Ted Cruz’s smirk, and various politicians and talk-radio … Continue reading
Muhammad Ali’s patriotism (and poetry)
I’ve had the somewhat odd experience the last two Junes of being on location when something historic happened. In 2015 I was at the Library of Congress, in a seminar room with windows looking out at the Supreme Court, when … Continue reading
On authority and objectivity
I’m continually struck by how many students seemingly prize the ideal of “objectivity” and neutrality, but more than that, how many of them are convinced those ideals are actually–or should be–manifested in scholarship and the media. I suppose we could … Continue reading
Paleoclimatology and the environmental history of New Netherland/New York
Although I’ve been teaching US Environmental History at UMW the last few years (and a seminar on American Wilderness), and although I write about perceptions of landscapes in my research, I haven’t really done much scholarship I’d consider environmental history as … Continue reading
The trial of “an Indyan called Nangenutch or Will”
Although I haven’t posted about it here, I have been working on an essay that I think is about ready for some additional readers (one is already checking it out, another two are lined up and will see it probably … Continue reading
Positive reinforcement
Just the other day, FedEx dropped off a lovely envelope from Early American Studies, and inside were copies to EAS 13.3, where my first full-length article appears. I last wrote about this project when submitting the piece–I held off updates when … Continue reading
Feds recognize Pamunkey Indians of Virginia
I spent the last couple of weeks in Washington, D.C., and they turned out to be fairly momentous. There were landmark Supreme Court decisions on the Affordable Care Act and gay marriage, but there was also a much quieter announcement … Continue reading
Wild and Scenic Film Fest
Wild & Scenic Film Fest expands to two locations 4th annual event features films that inspire environmental activism For immediate release Contact: Woodie Walker E-mail: woodie.walker @riverfriends.org Phone: (540) 373-3448 x. 117 FREDERICKSBURG – There aren’t many empty seats at … Continue reading
