Plains encyclopedia editor to give Nebraska Lecture Nov. 3

What defines the Great Plains? That question was the first and most vexing for the editor of the recently published Encyclopedia of the Great Plains. In the next Nebraska Lecture on Nov. 3, David Wishart will explore how the Great Plains region was recognized and created by scholars.

The lecture, part of the Chancellor's Distinguished Lecture Series, begins at 4 p.m. in the auditorium of the Nebraska Union, 1400 R St. The lecture, titled "Inventing the Great Plains Region," is free and open to the public. A book signing and reception follow.

Wishart, a historical geographer, is professor and chair of anthropology and geography at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He is general editor of the Encyclopedia of the Great Plains, published in August by the University of Nebraska Press.

One of the central questions that needed to be answered in tackling the encyclopedia was "what is the Great Plains region?" Wishart's lecture will illuminate the process that led to the answer.

"My lecture will be titled 'Inventing the Great Plains Region,' which refers to the idea of regions as intellectual concepts that do not exist until recognized by scholars," Wishart said. "They are generalizations, operating in much the same way as periods in history. However, regions are based on real places -- the Great Plains do indeed exist in reality. The question is, does the region as defined capture the essence of the Great Plains? Is it a successful invention? In order to justify the region as defined in the Encyclopedia of the Great Plains, I'll go into some of the criteria, both physical and human, that were selected to identify the Great Plains region."

The encyclopedia includes more than 1,300 separate entries organized into 27 chapters. More than 1,000 individuals contributed entries. The volume took more than 10 years from start to finish.

Wishart is the author of "An Unspeakable Sadness: The Dispossession of the Nebraska Indians," published in 1994. That book won the J.B. Jackson Prize for the best book in North American Human Geography.

The Nebraska Lectures: The Chancellor's Distinguished Lecture Series is co-sponsored by the UNL Research Council, the Office of the Chancellor and the Office of Research and Graduate Studies. This particular lecture is also sponsored by the NU Press and the Nebraska Humanities Council.

CONTACT: Kim Hachiya, University Communications/Research, (402) 472-8844; or
David Wishart, Professor & Chair, Anthropology & Geology, (402) 472-3576