By John Seelye (NHC Fellow, 1983–84) This book, the second volume in Seelye's series on the rivers of America in the American imagination, explores how George Washington's vision of a "more perfect union" for America–based upon the linking of the nation's waterways by technical means–was carried out. The first volume, Prophetic Waters, dealt with the … Continued
Who studies roads as mini-environments? Very few scholars do, in fact almost none. Highway engineers know a great deal about engineering roads but admit to knowing little about their ecological and cultural effects. But look again. Every road is a sort of ecosystem that ecologists are only just now starting to study. Paved roads transformed … Continued
Each day we witness the spread of COVID-19 across the globe. How does geography help us understand the movement and impact of this disease? This session will explore the role that geography and location intelligence plays in understanding and analyzing past and present day events such as epidemics/pandemics, migrations, and cultural diffusions. Time will also … Continued
The Holocaust was an intensely geographical phenomenon, as it displaced millions of people, created and destroyed thousands of places, rendered social space hostile—or deadly—and resulted in profound changes that reconfigured Europe and led to global diasporas. This webinar will explore the many geographical dimensions of Holocaust places, including concentration and labor camps and Jewish ghettos. … Continued
In January 2008, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon warned about the consequences of inadequate water resources: “Water scarcity threatens economic and social gains and is a potent fuel for wars and conflict.” Water is essential for life everywhere. Although that seems a simple enough statement, its implications are overwhelming, especially for an arid zone like the … Continued
While discussing N. Scott Momaday’s novel A House Made of Dawn, Professor Bowden introduced a new concept – geosophy. It was an unexpected moment during an undergraduate geography class that ultimately opened mental doors and windows to the world. Geosophy, an idea promoted by John Kirtland Wright in the 1940’s, “is the study of geographical … Continued
The image I chose for my humanities moment is representative of how I have come to understand myself, society and the cities around the world. While many might see poverty and struggle in Africa, this man is a waste-picker (recycler) in Johannesburg who plays a critical role in the overall sustainability of the city. After … Continued
I was born in Boston and raised in New England. I attended an elite, all-girls, private school in New England, which was established in 1854 with the mission of turning out highly educated, capable young ladies, even before college was an option for all. So by the time I got there in the 1960s and … Continued
There’s a game I like to play in class called “Look At.” We practice our close reading skills by gazing at a picture for 3 minutes and then writing down everything we see (or don’t see) about that image by starting each sentence with: “Look at…” When I first looked at Vietnamese American artist Dinh … Continued
5 years ago the AP Human Geography teacher at my former high school announced that she would be moving to Rhode Island. She informed me that I would be taking over the course. I fell in love with the material and am constantly looking for ways to make geography more meaningful for students. Every year … Continued