Harvard Divinity School Scholar to Explore Emerson, Ecology, and Political Renewal at MCLA

March 2, 2026

NORTH ADAMS, MA—Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) will welcome Russell C. Powell, Research Associate at the Center for the Study of World Religions at Harvard Divinity School, as part of its Green Living Seminar Series on Wednesday, March 11, at 5:30 p.m. in the Feigenbaum Center for Science and Innovation, Room 121.

Powell will present "Emerson's Transcendentalism and Ecology: Politics Beyond Cynicism." His talk will explore Emerson's shifting concept of nature across the early and middle parts of his career, from the publication of his first book Nature through his second series of Essays in 1844, as key to understanding how Emerson overcame the temptation of political cynicism. Given the strong draw of cynicism in today's fraught political climate, Powell argues that Emerson's passage from despair to hope is particularly instructive as we seek paths forward amid multiple ecological crises.

Powell leads a research initiative on Transcendentalism at the Center for the Study of World Religions and is currently completing a manuscript on the relevance of Ralph Waldo Emerson's thinking for environmental ethics and politics. His research focuses on the religious, ethical, and political resonances of contemporary environmental issues, particularly the religious dimension of American environmental thought.

All presentations take place Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. in MCLA's Feigenbaum Center for Science and Innovation, Room 121 and will be recorded as podcasts available at mcla.edu/greenliving. The event is free and open to the public.

MCLA's Green Living Seminar Series brings environmental experts, scholars, and practitioners to campus throughout the academic year to engage students and community members in conversations about sustainability, ecology, and our relationship with the natural world.

For more information, contact Elena Traister at elena.traister@mcla.edu or 413-662-5303.

About MCLA

At MCLA, we're here for all — and focused on each — of our students. Classes are taught by educators who care deeply about teaching, and about seeing their students thrive on every level of their lives. In every way possible, the experience at MCLA is designed to elevate our students as individuals, leaders, and communicators, fully empowered to make their impressions on the world. In addition to our 130-year commitment to public education, we have fortified our dedication to equitable academic excellence. MCLA has appeared on U.S. News & World Report's list of Top Ten Public Colleges for 11 consecutive years, earning the No. 6 spot on the list of Top Public Liberal Arts Schools in the nation for 2026. The College's focus on affordable education and economic prosperity is reflected in additional 2026 U.S. News rankings: No. 6 for Top Performer on Social Mobility for liberal arts colleges in the state and No. 4 for Top Performer on Social Mobility for public liberal arts colleges in the country. These rankings measure how well schools graduate students who receive Federal Pell Grants.