ENVS faculty, Dr. Jana Kopelent Rehak recently published an ethnographic account of life on Smith Island.

This fascinating ethnographic account of Smith Island residents examines the challenges faced by an aging community that is grappling with flooding, land erosion, and population loss. By combining socioecology, life course theory, and eco-phenomenology, Kopelent Rehak offers a comprehensive understanding of how people’s engagement with their ever-changing environment shapes their ways of being. Through vivid narratives and firsthand accounts, We Live in the Water explores the islanders’ deep connection to their land and how they reinvent their traditions over generations.

By bridging the gap between ecological studies and environmental anthropology, this book provides a compelling framework for understanding the impacts of environmental crises on local communities and emphasizes the importance of integrated research in shaping public discourse.