DEEP ECOLOGY
Sociology of Environment, Silent Spring, Books
on Environmental Sociology, Environmental Movement
Deep ecology is a set of ideas within the environmental movement which stress the belief that
modern societies have become anthropocentric - placing the human species and its interests
at the top of the agenda.
Supporters of deep ecology argue that society must become
biocentric - seeing all biological organism, including humans, as having value in and of
themselves.
Deep ecology suggests that human relationship with the
natural environment should not be based on its value for the human species; rather things
should be valued for themselves and consequently we should return as much of the
environment to its natural state as possible.
Dialectical Materialism and Nature - An Alternative to
Economism and Deep Ecology - Brett Clark, Richard York - Two commonly held views
about the nature of Nature lead to a systematic misunderstanding and mismeasurment of
natural processes. The "economistic" view conceives of the natural environment
as a repository of resources, available for human exploitation, and "services"
provided by mechanistic ecological processes. The economistic perspective leads to a
failure to properly recognize the sharp distinctions between ecological and economic
processes, by positing that environmental-sustainability issues can be successfully
addressed by "economizing ecology and ecologizing the economy." The deep ecology
view conceives of nature in an idealized manner as a harmonious system in eternal balance
unless disturbed by humans. This perspective fails to appreciate the material basis of
nature and society and views changes in value systems as the key to achieving ecological
sustainability. Authors advocate an alternative conception, one by Marxist scholars in the
natural sciences that eschews both mechanistic and idealized conceptions of nature in
favor of a dialectical, historical, and materialist view of natural processes. This
approach allows us to better understand natural history and the dynamic processes of human
interaction with environment.
Deep Ecology: Living as if Nature Mattered, Devall and
Sessions on Defending the Earth
Timothy W. Luke, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
The theory of deep ecology has had a profound effect on many environmental political
movements over the past generation. While this notion was first advanced by Arne Naess in
Western Europe, deep ecology found its broadest and most influential popularization,
especially in North America, in the work of Bill Devall and George Sessions. Their 1985
work, Deep Ecology: Living as if Nature Mattered, outlines their vision of deep ecology,
and it is an important source for anyone interested in the ethics and politics of deep
ecology. - oae.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/15/2/178
Gandhi, Deep Ecology, Peace Research And Buddhist Economics
Thomas Weber, School of Sociology, Politics and Anthropology, La Trobe University
The central importance of Gandhi to nonviolent activism is widely acknowledged. There are
also other significant peace-related bodies of knowledge that have gained such popularity
in the West in the relatively recent past that they have changed the directions of thought
and have been important in encouraging social movements - yet they have not been analysed
in terms of antecedents, especially Gandhian ones. The new environmentalism in the form of
deep ecology, the discipline of peace research and what has become known as `Buddhist
economics' very closely mirror Gandhi's philosophy. This article analyses the Mahatma's
contribution to the intellectual development of three leading figures in these fields:
Arne Naess, Johan Galtung and E. F. Schumacher and argues that those who want to make an
informed study of deep ecology, peace research or Buddhist economics, and particularly
those who are interested in the philosophy of Naess, Galtung or Schumacher, should go back
to Gandhi for a fuller picture. - jpr.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/36/3/349
Expropriating Nature: The Decoding of Deep Ecology, Lauer, Dean
Abstract: In this essay, I suggest that Nina Witoszek's semiotic dismantling of Arne
Nęss' philosophy of deep ecology is more than just an effort to situate Nęss within the
tradition of his native culture. Her sociological method, perhaps unwittingly, is hostile
to the phenomenological possibility of what Nęss calls "spontaneous
experience". Because the "decoding" of deep ecology takes place in the
context of a sign-functional nexus, deep ecology's most valuable asset, the possibility
for intimate experience and identification with nature, becomes expropriated within the
system of signs. In other words, the cerebral and theoretical force of semiotic analysis
may block access to the profound understanding of nature to which Nęss' philosophy is
dedicated. - ingentaconnect.com
Deep Ecology and Language: The Curtailed Journey of the Atlantic Salmon - Stibbe, Arran
Abstract: This article explores the representation of fish in ecological discourse through
analysis of the recently published Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA, 2005) synthesis
report. The analysis utilizes an ecological framework based on "deep ecology"
(Naess, 1990), examining how the discourse of the MA asserts or denies the intrinsic worth
of fish. The discursive construction of fish is particularly relevant given the massive
expansion of the aquaculture industry, which is having a negative impact on ecosystems and
the fish themselves, particularly the Atlantic salmon. There are alternatives to
traditional ecological discourses, such as the lyrical discourse drawn on by Rachel Carson
(1962) in her description of salmon. The article concludes with a discussion of the
potential of such discourses to represent reality in ways that are more comparable with
the welfare of the fish and the protection of ecosystems. - ingentaconnect.com
The Solitary Walker in the Political World - The Paradoxes of Rousseau and Deep
Ecology - Joseph H. Lane, Jr., Rebecca R. Clark
Rousseau argued forcefully for the superiority of a life lived in accordance with
"the simplest impulses of nature," but his complex (somewould say contradictory)
understanding of the relationship between humans and "nature" is rarely cited as
a source of inspiration by those seeking to reform the human relationship with the natural
world. We argue that the complexities of Rousseau's political thought illuminate important
connections between his works and the programs put forth by deep ecology. In Part One, we
explore the theoretical connections between Rousseau's account of the human fall from
nature and major works of radical environmentalism. In Part Two, we offer suggestions for
a reconsideration of Rousseau's work that may illuminate the paradoxical political
requirements of deep ecology's recommendations for a more ecological human life. We hope
to illustrate howa careful reading of Rousseau'swork may serve as the basis for fruitful
questioning of environmentalist thought. - ptx.sagepub.com/cgi/content/abstract/34/1/62
Wisdom in the Open Air: The Norwegian Roots of Deep Ecology.
Reed, Peter, Ed.; Rothenberg, David, Ed.
Abstract: This book traces the Norwegian roots of "deep ecology": the search for
solutions to environmental problems by examining fundamental tenets of culture. Deep
ecology contributes to the philosophical foundations of environmental education and
outdoor education, and much writing in this area has focused on promoting awareness of the
human relationship with nature. More broadly defined, deep ecology is a
"questioning" ecology that recognizes the intrinsic value of nature, beyond
human need. Although Arne Naess coined the term in the 1970s, the insights of deep ecology
reflect a long tradition of thought within Norwegian culture. An introduction describes
the Norwegian landscape, explores how the land has shaped Norway's politics and culture,
and traces the history of the environmental movement in Norway. Chapters describe the work
of seven Norwegian ecophilosophers and include excerpts of their work. Peter Wessel Zapffe
(1899-1990), although pessimistic about the survival of humanity and nature, saw
wilderness preservation as essential to mankind's spiritual development and existential
well-being. Excerpts are "The Last Messiah"; "Farewell, Norway"; and
poems. Professor of philosophy, 1936-70, Arne Naess shaped Norwegian higher education,
which stresses a basic grounding in philosophy for all students and a concern for linking
academics with real-world problems. This concern also forms the backbone of deep ecology:
"wisdom related to action." Excerpts are "Intrinsic Value: Will the
Defenders of Nature Please Rise?"; "The Politics of the Deep Ecology
Movement"; and"Everything Really Important Is Dangerous." Sigmund Kvaloy,
Norway's leading environmentalist, integrates philosophical thought and political action.
Excerpts are "Complexity and Time: Breaking the Pyramid's Reign" and
"Getting Our Feet Wet." Nils Faarlund, wilderness educator, expands on the
Norwegian tradition of "friluftsliv" (open-air life) to emphasize the importance
of first-hand nonaggressive outdoor experiences to reintroduce people to nature as their
true home. Excerpts are "A Way Home" and "Touch the Earth." Other
writers and their excerpts are: novelist Finn Alnaes ("The Way of Two-ness");
sociologist Johan Galtung ("Development Theory: Notes on an Alternative
Approach"); and social reformer Erik Dammann ("The Future in Our Hands: Its
Conceptions, Aims, and Strategies"). The Future in Our Hands is a Scandinavian
organization that sponsors alternative development projects and related development
education in secondary schools and adult education classes. A conclusion examines deep
ecology's potential as a force for change. Contains references in notes, a selected
bibliography, illustrations, and an index. - eric.ed.gov
Summer School in Deep Ecology, Macmillan, Catherine Hume
Abstract: Describes one teacher's experiences at the Institute for Deep Ecology Education
(IDEE) Summer School in Applied Deep Ecology. Reviews the program offered and the focus on
interactive, experiential activities. - eric.ed.gov
Theses on Social Ecology and Deep Ecology, Janet Biehl and Murray Bookchin
Ever since the debate between social ecology and deep ecology broke out in the summer of
1987, various individuals have taken it upon themselves to attempt to reconcile the two
approaches and produce what they feel is a higher synthesis. Social ecology and deep
ecology, however, are incommensurable, for several basic reasons. Deep ecologists differ
among themselves as to the content of their approach, which often renders deep ecology
itself self-contradictory and amorphous. Nevertheless, based on the writings of its major
theorists, its basic areas of disagreement with social ecology may be identified. -
social-ecology.org/article.php?story=20031028143511520
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