A new caucus of the American Studies Association is being formed to highlight and encourage interdisciplinary scholarship in the natural and built environments. We hope to bring together cultural geographers, historians, literary critics, architectural historians, environmental historians, activists, and anyone else interested in how environments can effect the study of American cultures.
Scholars working in all fields and time periods are welcome.
We hope to take advantage of the interdisciplinary framework of ASA to discuss issues such as environmental justice, history of land use, urbanism, literary responses to the environment, and environmental health. Hopefully, scholars who do not often have the opportunity to meet colleagues in related disciplines can use the caucus as a collegial meeting ground. The annual meeting of the ASA should also provide an opportunity for a social gathering of the caucus. This past summer we formally launched the Environmental Studies Caucs of the American Studies Association. The overall aim of the caucus is to increase the visibility of scholarship into both the natural and built environments.