Ecocriticism, Ethics and Storytelling

David Taylor writes across disciplinary boundaries, but at the core of his work always is the concern for environmental sustainability and community. Host Heather Lynch and Taylor, an associate professor in the School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, discuss his journey from traditional to environmental humanities. They explore the intersections of environmentalism with various social movements, the evolution of ecocriticism, and the concept of postcolonial ecocriticism. Taylor shares his experiences in interdisciplinary collaborations and reflects on teaching environmental philosophy, offering a hopeful perspective on the next generation's approach to the planet and its challenges.

Learn more with: 

• “The Idea of Wilderness: From Prehistory to the Age of Ecology” by Max Oelschlaeger

• Association for the Study of Literature and Environment

• “Sushi in Cortez Interdisciplinary Essays on Mesa Verde” by David Taylor and Steve Wolverton

• “Literature and Ecology: An Experiment in Ecocriticism” by William Rueckert

• “The Lay of the Land: Metaphor As Experience and History in American Life and Letters” by Annette Kolodny

• “The Land Ethic” by Aldo Leopold

  
  

Skip ahead to the chapter that interests you:

• 00:00 Introduction: The Story of Our Planet

• 01:45 Exploring Environmental Humanities

• 02:40 The Evolution of Ecocriticism

• 04:25 Interdisciplinary Approaches in Environmental Studies

• 08:11 Postcolonial Ecocriticism Explained

• 13:14 Understanding Ecofeminism

• 18:34 Environmentalism and Social Justice

• 25:08 Moral and Ethical Obligations to Non-Human Animals

• 32:14 Teaching Environmental Philosophy
• 37:42 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

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C4E Presents is a production of Stony Brook’s Collaborative for the Earth.

Host: Heather Lynch

Editor: J.D. Allen

Program manager: Jennifer Gilday