scholarly journals The Sacred Balance: Rediscovering Our Place in Nature

1998 ◽  
Vol 4 (3) ◽  
pp. 274
Author(s):  
Nick Wood

The majority of David Suzuki's books have been a response to the processes causing environmental degradation. In The Sacred Balance, he addresses the apathy behind these processes. If people are apathetic or indifferent to the degradation of their environment, it is almost impossible to bring about the change which can lead to environmental restoration and biological conservation. Poor environmental attitudes dominate in western society. Re-establishing the link of humankind to nature is the key to changing attitudes and Suzuki explains the physical, social and spiritual needs that must be satisfied to achieve this.

Author(s):  
Todd A. Eisenstadt ◽  
Karleen Jones West

Parting from conventional social science arguments that people speak for the ethnic groups they represent or for social or class-based groups, this study argues that attitudes of Ecuador’s Amazon citizens are shaped by environmental vulnerability, and specifically exposure to environmental degradation. Using results of a nationwide survey to demonstrate that vulnerability matters in determining environmental attitudes of respondents, the authors argue that groups might have more success mobilizing on behalf of the environment through geographically based “polycentric rights,” rather than through more traditional and ethnically bound multicultural rights. This book offers among the first methodological bridges between scholarship considering social movements, and predominantly ethnic groups, as primary agents of environmental change in Latin America and those emphasizing the agency of individuals. The authors conduct a nationwide survey to glean respondent positions on a range of environmental issues, then contextualize these findings through scores of in-depth interviews with indigenous, environmental, government, academic, and civil society leaders throughout Ecuador between 2014 and 2017. They find that some abstract issues—like indigenous worldviews—affect peoples’ attitudes, but that concrete experiences—such as that of living in areas of environmental degradation due to oil drilling—is a more important conditioner of environmental attitudes. The authors qualify post-materialism, an early theory of environmentalism, which argues that material well-being makes citizens more protective of the environment. The book concludes that post-materialism must be tempered by individual vulnerability, and that group activism is more successful where people have not yet been adversely impacted by environmental degradation such as oil spills and forest destruction.


2021 ◽  
Vol 24 (5-esp.) ◽  
pp. 630-635
Author(s):  
Ariane Costa Agra ◽  
Welber Da Costa Pina

O bioma Caatinga tem sofrido com grandes processos de degradação ambiental, que leva a fragmentação, perda do habitat e a uma crescente preocupação por uma restauração deste ambiente. Os insetos respondem de diferentes maneiras ao habitar gradientes sucessionais, sendo importantes na detecção de ambientes alterados. Por isso, o objetivo foi construir uma pesquisa bibliográfica acerca dos estudos desenvolvidos na Caatinga com foco na utilização dos insetos em avaliação de processos de restauração, regeneração ou sucessão de áreas degradadas neste bioma. O acesso à bibliografia foi feito eletronicamente, buscou-se por artigos científicos, no portal Google Acadêmico e de periódicos da Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior – CAPES, as buscas foram feitas entre 12/06/17 a 10/09/17 e em abril de 2020. As palavras chaves utilizadas foram em inglês e português e com relação ao tema proposto.  Dos 112 artigos selecionados, apenas 18 estudos foram foco da revisão. A ordem de inseto mais estudada em áreas degradadas e/ou processo de regeneração é Isoptera, seguidos pela ordem Coleoptera e Hymenoptera. Todos os estudos apontaram grupos de insetos como bioindicadores, mas os resultados sobre assembleias, composição e riqueza de espécies foram divergentes para determinados grupos. Os trabalhos são pontuais em algumas ordens de insetos, mas aparentemente estão em legítima expansão e, assim, o bioma carece urgentemente de um maior aporte de pesquisas científicas, que permitirá um maior entendimento dos processos que catalisam a regeneração da vegetação nativa e a melhoria na capacidade de manejo de áreas degradadas.   Palavras-chave: Degradação Ambiental. Insetos da Caatinga. Restauração Ambiental.   Abstract The Caatinga biome has undergone major processes of environmental degradation, which leads to fragmentation, loss of habitat and a growing concern for the restoration of this environment. Insects respond in different ways to inhabit successional gradients, being important in detecting altered environments. Therefore, the objective was to build a bibliographic research about the studies developed in the Caatinga with a focus on the use of insects in the evaluation of restoration, regeneration or succession of degraded areas in this biome. Access to the bibliography was carried out electronically, scientific articles were searched on the google academic and of periodics of the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel - CAPES, the searches were made between 06/12/17 to 09/10/17 and in April 2020. The keywords used were in English and Portuguese and in relation to the proposed theme. Of the 112 selected articles, only 18 studies were the focus of the review. The most studied insect order in degraded areas and / or regeneration processes is Isoptera, followed by Coleoptera and Hymenoptera. All studies pointed out groups of insects as bioindicators, but the results on assemblages, composition and species richness were divergent for certain groups. The works are punctual in some orders of insects, but it seems that they are in legitimate expansion and, thus, the biome urgently needs a greater contribution of scientific research, which will allow a greater understanding of the processes that catalyze the regeneration of native vegetation and improve the management capacity of degraded areas.  Keywords: Environmental Degradation. Caatinga Insects. Environmental Restoration.


Author(s):  
Timothy Mandila Chikati

This study investigated implementation of integrated environmental education in the secondary school curriculum for managing environmental degradation in Machakos Sub-County. The study was thus informed by Fullan’s theory of educational change (2007). The theory views the implementation of IEE programme through lenses of four independent variables identified as need; clarity; complexity; quality and practicality on the one hand and teachers’ and students’ levels of environmental awareness, knowledge, skills, attitudes and participation as dependent variables on the other hand. These variables network with local factors and external factors as intervening variables to determine the IEE implementation process. The study employed cross-section survey design under the quantitative approach. Probability sampling designs were used to select participants for the study. The target population of this study was public secondary schools, teachers and form 4 students from Machakos Sub-County. Stratified and simple random sampling techniques were employed in sampling secondary schools, teachers and students.  Questionnaires were used for data collection. Quantitative data were analysed using simple descriptive statistics. Overall study findings demonstrated that both teachers’ and students’ attitudes towards integrated environmental education in the secondary school curriculum were fairly positive though not adequate enough for effective implementation of IEE in the school curriculum hence, the unyielding environmental degradation in Machakos Sub-County. The study recommended that The Ministry of Education and the relevant urgencies such as KICD, DQAS and KNEC work jointly with school managers to draw an action plan to reinforce and intensify teachers’ and students’ levels of environmental attitudes through pre-service and in-service training, workshops and seminars on contemporary environmental issues. It is also recommended that studies are undertaken to understand those impediments that impede change in teachers’ and students’ environmental attitudes so that useful and practical interventions can be identified.


2013 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 108-127
Author(s):  
Kelly Lindsay

This paper examines the historical origins and spiritual context of contemporary yoga practice in the West. In an attempt to assess the spiritual significance of this somatic practice, this essay explores the way in which both critics and promoters of postural yoga frame their arguments for the value of contemporary yoga practice by showing either its disconnect from, or homogeneity with ancient Hindu traditions. By tracing the evolution of yogic practice from its scriptural origins to its contemporary manifestations, this paper argues that yoga has never been a static or perfectly defined entity. Rather, yogic practice has a long history of being re-interpreted to meet the specific spiritual needs of practitioners. Modern Postural Yoga (MPY) represents a continuation of this tradition of adaptation. Rather than being an inadequate replication of an ancient tradition, I argue that MPY is a distinctly modern practice that has been transformed to fit the contemporary spiritual needs of a secularizing and body-conscious Western society.


Author(s):  
Silvester Sawicki

Students Relationships and Teacher's Authority as Axiological, Ethical, Pedagogical, Social and Psychological Problems The paper is focused on the research into the problems of education regarding the relations between students (bullying, competiveness and cooperation) and the decreasing teacher's authority in schools and society. We found that relations between pupils and students of elementary and secondary schools show several negative tendencies including harming each other, reduced rate of mutual sensitivity and preference of rivality to cooperation. Authority of teachers is permanently decreasing not only with pupils and students, but with parents and society, too. Society, parents and students much less value study results and wisdom, and these issues consequently influence the decreasing teacher's status. On the other hand, this behavior leads to decreasing the interest in semantic learning. The roots of these problems can be found in the postmodern crisis of Western culture, associated with severe deficiencies of the political system and market economy as well as one-sided rational orientation of Western society at the expense of the spiritual needs of man.


Author(s):  
Mohd Abbas Abdul Razak

AbstractHistory reveals the fact that the coming of modernity and secularism has allured modern man towards a materialistic concept of life, ignoring his spiritual needs in respect of his role as the vicegerent of God. This predicament has not only marred man’s relationship with God but has also failed him toward understanding his true nature and mission in life. The large segment of humanity today is on the brink of losing its human and spiritual values, resulting in severe environmental degradation, racism, terrorism, war, poor mental health, and other psychopathological illnesses. This paper intends to explore and draw out conclusions from the philosophical thoughts of Muhammad Iqbal (1877-1938) with regard to his ego philosophy that explains man’s relationship with God, community and the universe (flora and fauna). Lessons drawn out from Iqbal’s ideas can be of great use in awakening man’s spirituality and improving his quality of life by establishing a harmonious relationship with God, environment and fellow human beings.Keywords: Iqbal, Ego Philosophy, Man, Spirituality.********************************AbstrakSejarah menunjukkan satu hakikat bahawa kedatangan kemodenan dan sekularisme telah menarik manusia moden ke arah konsep hidup materialistik, mengabaikan keperluan rohaninya berkenaan dengan peranannya sebagai khalifah Allah. Keadaan ini bukan sahaja mencemarkan hubungan manusia dengan Tuhan tetapi telah membuat dirinya gagal untuk memahami sifat sebenarnya dan misinya dalam hidup. Segmen besar manusia hari ini berada di ambang kehilangan nilai-nilai kemanusiaan dan kerohanian, menyebabkan kemusnahan alam sekitar yang teruk, sifat perkauman, keganasan, peperangan, kesihatan mental yang lemah, dan penyakit-penyakit psychopathological. Karya ini bertujuan untuk meneroka dan menarik keluar kesimpulan dari pemikiran falsafah Muhammad Iqbal (1877-1938) dengan mengambil kira falsafah ego beliau yang menerangkan hubungan manusia dengan Tuhan, masyarakat dan alam semesta (flora dan fauna). Pengajaran yang boleh diterima dari fikiran Iqbal boleh menjadi amat berguna dalam kebangkitan kerohanian manusia dan meningkatkan kualiti hidup beliau dengan mewujudkan hubungan yang berharmoni dengan Allah, alam sekitar dan sesame manusia.Kata Kunci: Iqbal, Falsafah Ego, Manusia, Kerohanian.


2019 ◽  
pp. 35-72
Author(s):  
Todd A. Eisenstadt ◽  
Karleen Jones West

In this chapter we analyze data from our original nationwide survey in Ecuador and find that respondents do not express concern for the environment in accordance with predictions of post-materialist norms. In fact, our evidence indicates that the poor who live off the land—those on the front lines of experiencing environmental degradation as a result of oil and mineral extraction—have even stronger perceptions of the importance of environmental problems. This chapter offers the core argument from which succeeding chapters part. After operationalizing our hypotheses and discussing our statistical findings, we utilize extensive interviews with leaders to further illustrate how vulnerability and extraction affect environmental attitudes.


2015 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 62-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carolien Martijn ◽  
Jessica M. Alleva ◽  
Anita Jansen

Feelings of body dissatisfaction are common in Western society, especially in women and girls. More than innocent discontent, body dissatisfaction can have serious consequences such as depression and eating disorders. The current article discusses the nature of body dissatisfaction, how it develops and how it is currently being treated. We also discuss novel strategies to increase body satisfaction that work on the automatic system (e.g., by retraining attentional and conditioning processes), since recent research suggests that appearance-related information is processed automatically. We suggest that extant methods should be combined with these novel strategies, in order to optimally improve body dissatisfaction and to prevent its detrimental consequences.


2013 ◽  
Vol 44 (3) ◽  
pp. 209-218 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benoît Testé ◽  
Samantha Perrin

The present research examines the social value attributed to endorsing the belief in a just world for self (BJW-S) and for others (BJW-O) in a Western society. We conducted four studies in which we asked participants to assess a target who endorsed BJW-S vs. BJW-O either strongly or weakly. Results showed that endorsement of BJW-S was socially valued and had a greater effect on social utility judgments than it did on social desirability judgments. In contrast, the main effect of endorsement of BJW-O was to reduce the target’s social desirability. The results also showed that the effect of BJW-S on social utility is mediated by the target’s perceived individualism, whereas the effect of BJW-S and BJW-O on social desirability is mediated by the target’s perceived collectivism.


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