Category: Series
The Uses of Environmental Humanities
By Samantha Rothbart *Featured image: “Leaving the opera in the year 2000,” a futuristic depiction of Paris. Hand-colored lithograph by Albert Robida (late 19th century). Years ago, when I began the daunting task of deciding what to study university, it seemed that everyone around…
Picking Hops in Nineteenth-Century Wisconsin
The Taproom is a monthly series that explores the rich history of all things beer. It is curated by Pavla Šimková. *Feature image: Group of men, women, and children gathered in a hop field, possibly that of Paul Saavles. Image ID 26259, 1874, by Andreas Larsen…
Making Tracks: Politicizing Water Inequalities
By Marcela López Since I was a child, I have had the opportunity to travel around Colombia with my family and friends, and to explore a wide variety of ecosystems ranging from tropical rainforests to deserts, savannas, and páramos. By traveling through these remote…
Book Review: Quest for the Unity of Knowledge, by David Lowenthal
by Eugenio Luciano “Two modes of understanding dominate the history of ideas. One posits the overarching unity of knowledge, the other cherishes its multifarious diversity. Unity is the goal of those who seek a single all-encompassing explanation of everything. Diversity is lauded by those…
Impressions from Kvarken and Vaasa
Nestled between Vaasa in Finland and Umeå in Sweden is a mysterious moving landscape. The geology of the Kvarken Archipelago National Park makes it a dynamic and transient place, yet the recognizable Scandinavian climate and ecology lends it a timeless quality. In 2006 it…
Environmental Histories of the Brazilian Cerrado
By Claiton Marcio da Silva *All images courtesy of the author, taken 2013 (unless otherwise specified). Featured image: Road to the Espírito Santo belvedere, Jalapão State Park, Tocantins The Brazilian Cerrado made me an environmental historian. My interest in the agricultural transformations in Brazilian…
Make Meadows, Not Lawns
“The Heart of the Ecosystem: Taking Responsibility for the Extinction of Bees” By Rosamund Portus *Featured image: A roundabout in Mössingen, the “City of Flowers.” Photo: UnreifeKirsche [CC BY-SA 3.0], from Wikimedia Commons. When we think of extinction, we tend to think of a…
A Fluid History of Wisconsin Breweries
The Taproom is a monthly series that explores the rich history of all things beer. It is curated by Pavla Šimková. By Doug Hoverson (*Featured image: This sign from the tiny Hortonville Brewing Co. placed more emphasis on their artesian well than on the beer itself….
Plastic Passport
Hazardous Hope Part 4 By Simone Müller (*Featured image: Photo by Gerry & Bonni [CC BY 2.0 ], via Wikimedia Commons) On our way out of office? In leadership counseling, they tell you about three key considerations for deciding if you should fire someone:…
Popularizing Climate Change and the Challenge of Multiple Narratives
By Roberta Biasillo This blog piece is inspired by Harald Lesch’s talk “Science, Society, Signs” at the RCC Lunchtime Colloquium. It focuses on the potential and limits of graphic representations of climate change-related phenomena, interpretations, and understandings. (*Featured image: Peel, M. C., Finlayson, B….
