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Growing home together: An eco-phenomenological study of urban wild-gardeners’ experience of insects

Cianga-Christophersen, Florina LU (2022) In Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science MESM02 20221
LUCSUS (Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies)
Abstract
Assumptions about humankind’s separation from the rest of life on Earth have fuelled worldwide environmental destruction and a subsequent widespread loss of abundance and biodiversity amongst insects. As insects are vital to the health of the biosphere, a reconciliation of humans with the natural world is in due season. Drawing on eco-phenomenological ideas of the Flesh, embodied perception, and body language, I investigate how ten urban wild-gardeners’ experiences of and with insects influence their ecological awareness, sense of agency, and motivation to support biodiversity within their gardens. Analysis reveals that (a) ecological awareness steers aesthetic preference towards wilder nature, (b) interspecies relations are deeply... (More)
Assumptions about humankind’s separation from the rest of life on Earth have fuelled worldwide environmental destruction and a subsequent widespread loss of abundance and biodiversity amongst insects. As insects are vital to the health of the biosphere, a reconciliation of humans with the natural world is in due season. Drawing on eco-phenomenological ideas of the Flesh, embodied perception, and body language, I investigate how ten urban wild-gardeners’ experiences of and with insects influence their ecological awareness, sense of agency, and motivation to support biodiversity within their gardens. Analysis reveals that (a) ecological awareness steers aesthetic preference towards wilder nature, (b) interspecies relations are deeply embodied and contribute to a human’s understanding of environmental complexities, and (c) despite reservations about personal agency, the gardeners’ more-than-human experiences can inspire individual and community-level sustainable change. I conclude by discussing the potential of embodied more-than-human experiences within and outside sustainability science. (Less)
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author
Cianga-Christophersen, Florina LU
supervisor
organization
course
MESM02 20221
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
sustainability science, eco-phenomenology, wild-gardening, more-than-human, the Flesh, embodied experience
publication/series
Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science
report number
2022:030
language
English
id
9084369
date added to LUP
2022-06-09 10:50:38
date last changed
2022-06-09 10:50:38
@misc{9084369,
  abstract     = {{Assumptions about humankind’s separation from the rest of life on Earth have fuelled worldwide environmental destruction and a subsequent widespread loss of abundance and biodiversity amongst insects. As insects are vital to the health of the biosphere, a reconciliation of humans with the natural world is in due season. Drawing on eco-phenomenological ideas of the Flesh, embodied perception, and body language, I investigate how ten urban wild-gardeners’ experiences of and with insects influence their ecological awareness, sense of agency, and motivation to support biodiversity within their gardens. Analysis reveals that (a) ecological awareness steers aesthetic preference towards wilder nature, (b) interspecies relations are deeply embodied and contribute to a human’s understanding of environmental complexities, and (c) despite reservations about personal agency, the gardeners’ more-than-human experiences can inspire individual and community-level sustainable change. I conclude by discussing the potential of embodied more-than-human experiences within and outside sustainability science.}},
  author       = {{Cianga-Christophersen, Florina}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  series       = {{Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science}},
  title        = {{Growing home together: An eco-phenomenological study of urban wild-gardeners’ experience of insects}},
  year         = {{2022}},
}