This Oregon of Nature: Local Historians in Conversation with Dr. Mark Fiege

Dr. William L. Lang, Dr. Larry Lipin, and Dr. Marsha Weisiger

In the dramatic narratives that comprise Mark Fiege’s The Republic of Nature: An Environmental History of the United States, the author reframes the canonical account of American history based on the simple but radical premise that nothing in the nation's past can be considered apart from the natural circumstances in which it occurred. Revisiting historical icons so familiar that schoolchildren learn to take them for granted, he makes surprising connections that enable readers to see old stories in a new light. Dr. Fiege will be joined by three local historians who are familiar with both his work and Oregon’s past. Following Dr. Fiege’s initial overview, Dr. William L. Lang, Dr. Larry Lipin, and Dr. Marsha Weisiger will each make suggestions about how we might reframe a familiar aspect of our state’s history by considering natural circumstances. Discussion among the historians and with the audience will follow. 

A native of Washington, Mark Fiege is a graduate of Western Washington University, Washington State University, and the University of Utah, from which he received his doctorate in 1994. He has taught history at Colorado State University since 1994, is affiliated with CSU's Public Lands History Center, and is a faculty adviser to the Agricultural, Natural Resources, and Water Resources Archives in CSU's Morgan Library.