Water is intimately connected to the human experience. It weaves into and out of our individual and collective human lives. Precisely because it is so interwoven in our lives, water frequently becomes part of the most important narratives that we tell about ourselves and our human experience. Water is there at the moment of creation; it is there at the moment of devastation; and it is there as we navigate the more subtle moments of our lives.
This presentation by the Texas Water Symposium takes a detour from discussing policy to explore how water becomes embedded in the narratives that we tell about our everyday life and our communities. In doing so, we learn why it is difficult to be ambivalent about water and why water has been—and will remain—the stuff of history, legend, and stories.
Presenters (in order of appearance):
- Dr. David Taylor, Visiting Assistant Professor of Sustainability, Stony Brook University
- Joe Herring, Jr., Kerr County and Hill Country Historian, Columnist
- Dr. Fred Stevens, Professor of Biology (retired), Schreiner University
The presenters are introduced by Dr. Charlie McCormick, Schreiner University Provost and Folklore Scholar.
Audio apologia: The first three minutes of this presentation were recorded using a room mic; the first presenter, Dr. Taylor, was present via Skype.
The Texas Water Symposium is presented by the Hill Country Alliance, Schreiner University, Texas Tech University, and Texas Public Radio.
