My Book Comes out in October 2025

My Book Comes out in October 2025

Author: Christy Hyman, PhD April 6, 2025 Duration: 12:24

 In this episode I discuss updates about birds and travel as well as provide details on my upcoming book, The Cultural Heritage Resilience of the Great Dismal Swamp:

Exploring the Cultural Heritage Resilience of the Great Dismal Swamp** In this episode, we delve into the cultural resilience of the Great Dismal Swamp, highlighting the powerful stories of local residents who have preserved their traditions despite historical silences. We discuss the intersection of cultural values, heritage tourism, and the enduring legacy of freedom, all while emphasizing the importance of landscape stewardship informed by Indigenous practices. Join us as we uncover how marginalized communities establish empowering spaces to honor their heritage, even in the absence of external support. We’ll explore the rich history of the Great Dismal Swamp Region, focusing on settlements such as Mattoanoak, Bowers Hill, and Skeetertown, where ancestral lifeways continue to thrive. Through the resilient cultural narratives shared by community members, we spotlight their deep connections to the land and tradition, and the call to return to their roots. Tune in for an inspiring conversation about resilience, community, and heritage!


Christy Hyman is a geographer with a deep affection for birds and the wild spaces just outside our doors. In Random Nature, she sits down with fellow academics, not for stiff lectures, but for genuine conversations that explore the surprising and personal relationships we have with the natural world. You’ll hear how a sociologist might find order in a tangled forest, or how a historian sees the landscape as a living archive. These discussions get at the heart of how people who think for a living actually *experience* nature-whether they seek it out daily on long walks or observe it more quietly from a kitchen window garden. This podcast lives in the intersection of science, culture, and everyday life, revealing that our connection to the environment is rarely straightforward. It’s often messy, overlooked, and wonderfully random. Each episode is an invitation to reconsider your own surroundings, to notice the details in your own home, garden, or local park through a slightly different lens. Tune in for thoughtful, meandering talks that bridge the gap between scholarly insight and simple, personal appreciation.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 40

Random Nature
Podcast Episodes
BONUS: SUMMER TIME; ANNOUNCEMENTS! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 12:35
Bonus! Christy tells us where she is headed next in her academic career. And of course BIRDS!Birds mentioned: Pileated WoodpeckerPeople mentioned: Ed Baptist PhD, Bill Block, PhD, soon to be PhD Megan Jeffreys .
Anna Bartel, PhD [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:07
Part activist, part administrator, and part academic,” Anna Sims Bartel earned her Ph.D. in Comparative Literature at Cornell University. She runs her own consulting firm and enjoys doing public humanities work as well h…
BONUS: A CONFUSING FALL BIRD MIGRATION [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:13
Here I give a glimpse into what is coming up next. I talk about my confusing fall birding migration in a new region and FUNGI.My next guest will be Dr. Anna Bartel.
Season 2: The New Year [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:04
A meditation on grief and nature on a day of sorrow.
Bonus: Farewell Rose-Breasted Grosbeak [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 13:31
In this episode I share a precious moment with the Rose-Breasted Grosbeak and my emotional farewell.
Dr. Hanieh Molana [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:45
Meet one of my sweetest Feminist Geographer friends, Dr. Molana!
Minisode: Drs. Malaia, Jimenez, Cohen! [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:54
In today's minisode we hear from three of my friends in this order: Dr. Kate Malaia, Dr. Claire Jimenez, Dr. Matt Cohen.They share their most random/unusual/incredible nature moment.Check out their works!Recent article f…