The Long View #011 | A Forest History of Russia with Sophie Pinkham

Sophie Pinkham joins The Long View to discuss The Oak and the Larch, her cultural and historical study of forests in Russia and its empires.

This episode explores how forests function as symbols of identity, power, refuge, and destruction. Pinkham connects literary traditions, imperial expansion, and contemporary geopolitics, showing how landscapes shape national narratives.

From Chekhov and Tolstoy to modern warfare and the Bialowieza forest, this conversation reveals the forest as a central force in Russian cultural memory.

A discussion about nature, empire, and the stories nations tell about themselves.