Reimagining Radical Environmentalism

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily Ray ◽  
Sean Parson
Keyword(s):  
Social Ecology ◽  
Deep Ecology ◽  
Western Civilization ◽  
Living Things ◽  
Environmental Thought ◽  
Radical Environmentalism

Since the 1970s, three major philosophic perspectives have shaped radical environmental thought: spiritual ecologies, which are best illustrated by deep ecology; humanist ecologies, such as social ecology and eco-Marxism; and luddite ecologies, such as primitivism. On the ground, activism has often embraced a fusion of these perspectives as most Western radical environmentalism brings together a secular sacred regard for all living things with a materialist critique of Western civilization, particularly developments in technology and consumerism. In this chapter we introduce and examine the three major threads of radical environmentalism and provide an analysis of their philosophic strengths and weaknesses. We then argue that activists tend to fuse different aspects of these environmental philosophies together, sometimes intentionally and sometimes unintentionally.

6. Social and political movements

2018 ◽  
pp. 77-90
Author(s):  
Robin Attfield
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Justice ◽  
Environmental Ethics ◽  
Social Ecology ◽  
Environmental Problems ◽  
Deep Ecology ◽  
Social Structures ◽  
Future Generations ◽  
Political Movements ◽  
Human Species ◽  
Human World

Large contributions have been made to environmental ethics by social and political movements, such as Deep Ecology, ecofeminism, Social Ecology, the Environmental Justice Movement, and Green political movements. ‘Social and political movements’ considers these in turn. Social Ecology and the Environmental Justice Movement serve as correctives to Deep Ecology in foregrounding social structures in which environmental problems are often found. But Deep Ecology and ecofeminism serve as counter-correctives to these movements, with their concern for non-human species, habitats, and ecosystems. Green movements (and Deep Ecology too) emphasize our obligations to future generations and to the non-human world. Tensions can arise between environmentalism and liberalism, but they are not always insuperable.

DEEP ECOLOGY OR SOCIAL ECOLOGY?

1995 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 328-350 ◽  
Author(s):  
ALAN CARTER
Keyword(s):  
Social Ecology ◽  
Deep Ecology

Heidegger and Ecophenomenology

2009 ◽  
Vol 43 ◽  
pp. 167-185
Author(s):  
Trish Glazebrook ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Justice ◽  
International Development ◽  
Environmental Ethics ◽  
Social Ecology ◽  
Intrinsic Value ◽  
Environmental Issues ◽  
Deep Ecology ◽  
Potential Contribution ◽  
The Social

This paper is an application of Heidegger’s work to issues in sustainability and environmental justice that demonstrates the value and significance of his work beyond traditional contexts for analysis of his thinking. It argues that Heidegger prompts a constructive environmental phenomenology, which is developed around three themes: physics and teleology; dwelling in nature; and the social obligations of the sciences. Aristotle’s Physics is shown to provide Heidegger with a teleological conception of nature that promotes its intrinsic value. This analysis is used toward an environmental ethics of “dwelling,” in contrast to consumer culture’s reduction of nature to resource. Finally, Heidegger’s potential contribution to debates concerning the social obligations of the sciences is developed. Throughout these analyses, his work is connected with principles of deep ecology, social ecology and ecofeminism, and his applicability to environmental issues in international development is demonstrated. In conclusion, Heideggerian ecophenomenology is argued to promote sustainability and environmental justice insofar as it supports an alternative to the logic of domination currently overrunning the globe.

Beyond Anthropocentrism

2011 ◽  
Vol 69 ◽  
pp. 29-46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin Attfield
Keyword(s):  
Environmental Ethics ◽  
Social Ecology ◽  
Environmental Values ◽  
Deep Ecology ◽  
Environmental Philosophy ◽  
Human Values ◽  
Human Beings ◽  
Human Good

After the first wave of writings in environmental philosophy in the early 1970s, which were mostly critical of anthropocentrism, a new trend emerged which sought to humanise this subject, and to revive or vindicate anthropocentric stances. Only in this way, it was held, could environmental values become human values, and ecological movements manage to become social ecology. Later writers have detected tacit anthropocentrism lurking even in Deep Ecology, or have defended ‘perspectival anthropocentrism’, as the inevitable methodology of any system of environmental ethics devised by and for the guidance of human beings. Human good, broadly enough conceptualised, is held to be the basis of ethics. Besides, it is sometimes added, non-anthropocentric considerations in any case add nothing to anthropocentric ones, when broadly construed.

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