LSU geographers figure prominently in new Ebook
Frontiers in Science has released an ebook entitled Coastal Cities in a Changing Climate. This collection of articles stems from a 2019 workshop hosted by the Center for the History of Global Development at Shanghai University. Craig Colten, a distinguished visiting professor at the time, was the co-organizer of the workshop.
The publication seeks to foreground the role of people in creating and responding to conditions along urbanized coasts that are subject to rising sea levels and threats from intensifying storms. The authors foregrounded the role of human decisions and actions that arise from social institutions, governing bodies, cultural traditions, and economic systems. The goal was to elevate the humanities and social sciences in the climate change discussion by emphasizing the importance of humans in dealing with changing climate conditions.
Among the authors was Jessica Simms (Ph.D. 2017). Her article, “Solastalgic Landscapes: Prospects of Relocation in Coastal Louisiana,” dealt examined the challenges faced by the Isle de Jean Charles community and efforts to relocate the community to safer ground. Scott Hemmerling (Ph.D. 2007) served as co-editor of the online publication and co-author of the introductory essay.