In my new book project, “Contested Icescapes, Land, Politics, and Change on an Arctic Agricultural Frontier,” I explore how marginal Arctic land is being imagined as a new frontier for agriculture under climate change, and what the implications are for rural and Indigenous lands, livelihoods, and governance. In this talk, I will discuss a chapter of the book that examines the political history of agriculture in the Northwest Territories, Canada, and its development alongside recent climate crises in the territory. Drawing on ethnographic research between 2021-3, I will discuss how Sambaa K’e First Nation and Ka’a’gee Tu First Nation are transforming agriculture from a settler-colonial tool of assimilation into an exercise of Indigenous sovereignty. How do these Dehcho First Nations communities make meaning of and assert authority over colonial projects? And what are the possibilities of climate adaptation more broadly, if we recognize Indigenous sovereignty in syncretic land use practices?

Please join us for a convening on the Endangered Species Act that will explore the Act’s successes and challenges over the past 50 years and its future directions. This unique event will bring together scholars, policymakers, and conservationists to assess lessons learned and propose innovative strategies for the next 50 years.

Registration is now open. Please register soon because space is limited.

Smithsonian Trees of North America is a new, beautifully illustrated guide to more than 325 common trees on this continent. Join author John Kress for a book talk on this indispensable new guide, complete with hundreds of range maps illustrating where the trees can be found; thousands of photographs of the trees’ leaves, bark, flowers, and fruit; in-depth studies of the trees’ biology, ecology, and evolution; and fascinating discussions of the trees’ future in a world of rapid environmental change. And keep an eye out for several photos taken by our very own Ned Friedman!

Scientists estimate that there are over 7.5 million species of plants and animals that have yet to be discovered and described. But in a world in which extinction may outpace discovery, how can citizen scientists get involved? Join me as I share how residents in Alaska helped me discover and describe a new species of snake worm gnat and learn how you, too, can participate in the scientific process.

Sabine R. Huebner is a professor of ancient history at the University of Basel in Switzerland whose project at Harvard Radcliffe Institute aims to craft a groundbreaking monograph on third-century Roman Egypt, exploring the dynamic interplay of climatic shifts, political upheavals, and socioeconomic transformations during a pivotal era. Drawing on a rich tapestry of sources—including literary works, papyri, numismatics, epigraphy, and a variety of paleoenvironmental proxies—this ambitious study seeks to unveil new insights into the complexities of this transitional period in one of the Roman Empire’s critical regions.

Trained in anthropology and education, Gabrielle Oliveira works at the intersections of migration, education, family, and childhood studies. At Radcliffe, she will write her third book, which will focus on how migrant children conceptualize climate change, land loss, and mobility in schools in Venezuela and Brazil.