Unsettling Forest Histories—Panel Debrief from the 2025 OAH Conference on American History

This special panel debrief edition of the Journal of American History Podcast features a conversation on “Unsettling Forest Histories,” held at the 2025 OAH Conference on American History in Chicago.In this episode, Andrew Needham (New York University), Bathsehba Demuth (Brown University), Allyson LaForge (Brown University), and Mariko Whitenack (New York University) reflect on their panel session which discussed the state of forest history and the role of Indigenous ontology in the field. In this debrief dialogue, hosted by Marina Mecham and Kasha Appleton, the panelists respond to questions such as: why is it important to study forest history? What does it mean to “unsettle” forest histories and environmental histories more broadly? How are historians doing this unsettling work now? What can Indigenous ontologies contribute to the field?Music: King Oliver’s Creole Jazz Band’s Mabel’s Dream, 1923X: @thejamhist | Facebook: The Journal of American History#JAHCast