Environmental Leadership Program: ELP News: Summer 2002-Beyond the Fellowship: "Environmental Historians and Their Publics" Workshop by Paul Sabin

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newsletter Summer 2002

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ELP News:

ELP NEWS: Beyond the Fellowship

"Environmental Historians and Their Publics" Workshop

by Paul Sabin

Held during the annual conference of the American Society of Environmental Historians (ASEH), this workshop, jointly sponsored by the Environmental Leadership Program and ASEH, sought to encourage effective public leadership by environmental historians. In particular, the organizers of the workshop aimed to stimulate discussion about issues that might arise when environmental historians contribute to public dialogue and public policy, and to suggest practical strategies available to historians. Through collegial exchange and practical sharing, the workshop organizers hoped to provide support and encouragement to historians who wish to expand their public role.

ASEH workshop speakers (L-R) Marsha Weisiger, Paul Sabin, Richard White, Nancy Langston, Thompson Smith, and Lynne Heasley.

The session included a panel of five environmental historians who spoke about recent experiences taking their research and expertise public. Presenters included: Lynne Heasley, of Western Michigan University on "History, Community Identity, and Politics in Wisconsin"; Nancy Langston, of University of Wisconsin-Madison on "Environmental Historians and Public Policy"; Thompson Smith, of Salish-Pend d'Oreille Culture Committee on "Tribal and Environmental History on the Flathead Reservation in Montana"; Marsha Weisiger, of New Mexico State University on "Dialogue on Wolf Reintroduction in the Southwest"; and Richard White, of Stanford University on "Collaboration with the National Park Service at Point Reyes, California."

Following these presentations, the 40 workshop participants split into five groups to share individual experiences with public outreach. In particular, the small groups discussed what it means to take environmental history public; how historians can maximize their contributions beyond the classroom; and how historians might pursue such public roles within the context of academic career and promotion paths. The workshop concluded with a large group discussion about major themes and possible next steps.

Participants responded enthusiastically to the workshop topic and format. They particularly appreciated the "witnessing aspect" of hearing their colleagues discuss experiences working in varied non-university settings. Sharing struggles with public outreach and learning strategies used by others helped participants to locate themselves, as one participant wrote, within "a community of scholars interested in fostering the role of public intellectuals."

Paul Sabin is executive director of the Environmental Leadership Program and a lecturer in the Department of History at Yale University.

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