We believe that active engagement with a culture or region other than one’s own to gain a deeper understanding of world issues and to develop empathy for others is one cornerstone of a liberal arts education.

Together with anthropology and politics, the environmental studies department at Whitman College developed a three-week field study course. The route crossed into Idaho’s Nez Perce Reservation from northeast Oregon’s Wallowa Valley.

About us

Students in the “Land, Water, Justice” course concentrated on defining these terms and studying them in the classroom and in the field.

Our Podcast

In this opening episode, we meet our hosts, Jaden, Tati, and Nia. They begin this series by introducing us to the Wallowa Valley of northeastern Oregon. Known for its clear lake holding reflections of snowy peaks and lush hills, the Valley is sown with the hidden histories of people and land traumatized by colonization. Our hosts also tell us the origins of the podcast and what they hope to learn over the next four episodes.

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