As a student of both Religion and International Relations, I am intrigued and perplexed by the presence – or absence – of sanctity within international systems. My senior capstone, which I conceived of and researched myself, studies the Tlingit potlatch and its use of the sacred in international relations between the Sitka Tlingit Nation and the Russian Empire (prior to 1867), as well as the United States government (after 1867). Using secondary sources, the anthropological and historical work of Dr. Sergei Kan, and definitions of the sacred as discussed in the works of Mircea Eliade, I ask several questions to evaluate international relations theory. Firstly, what is the sacred and how does it connect us? Secondly, how was the sacred used in the Tlingit potlatch, and how did the Russians and Americans differ in their interactions within this space? Finally, how might a closer look at the potlatch help me understand one form of Indigenous international relations and how can the use of the sacred challenge assumptions made by predominantly white western international relations theorists? The Tlingit potlatch served as the primary space for international relations through the prescribed roles of “host” and “guest.” My research has led me to conclude that the Russian Orthodox Church leaders accepted their role as guests, thereby maintaining their sovereignty and the sovereignty of the Tlingit, and by extension, preserving international relations between the two groups. American Presbyterians, however, sought to conquer and control Tlingit sanctity, effectively dissolving the potlatch, Tlingit sovereignty, and the possibility of maintaining international relations between the communities. With these discoveries in mind, I ask, “What might Tlingit Elders tell us about how to conduct international relations, and what do we do with that?” By asking this question, I attempt to elevate Indigenous voices in the field of international relations and revolutionize the ways in which international diplomacy is conducted by allowing space for empathy, sanctity, and trust.

Over the last few years, there has been a dramatic increase in wildfires and their severity. Wildfire is a natural phenomenon that needs to happen to regenerate life within ecosystems. It kills off the old growth, allowing new growth to flourish in its place. Previously, scientists and political officials understood wildfire as an enemy of the forest, partly because forests were valued as commodities. Wildfire has its benefits but has devastating affects on communities. This study examines wildfire in the wilderness urban interface (WUI) within the Cascades Mountain Range, Washington. This study has three parts. First, I mapped the WUI over two decades in the Cascades Mountain Range, Washington. Second, I created a spatial index to depict risk levels across the study area. Last, I met with stakeholders to understand the current practices of wildfire fighting and the needs of the community. This research found significant growth in the WUI, interesting variation in wildfire risk across the Cascades, and conflicting interests among the stakeholders, ranging from privileging forest ecology to valuing the economy. These insights were gained by using geospatial techniques. Wildfires aren’t going away, and we need to understand how communities will be impacted and can prepare for the future.

 The Cascades mountains of the Pacific Northwest are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, and increases in temperature have led to decreased snow and an uncertain future. A reduced snowpack has significant ramifications for the evolving ski and backcountry Winter recreation industry in Washington state. My research considers a changing natural landscape and its hydrological processes in the face of global climate change, from the lens of backcountry recreation. I use geospatial analysis to quantify the extent to which the snowpack of the Cascades has been impacted by temperature increases using data from snowpack telemetry sites and remotely sensed hydrologic data, and models its future state given predicted climate scenarios. I discuss the dynamics of winter backcountry recreation including increased usage, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, avalanche awareness and risk, and the existential threat to Pacific Northwest Winter recreation when mountain snowfall becomes rain.