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The idea of ‘nature’ as background for ecology and conservation is vague and obvious at the same time. Rooted in the Western tradition of thought, it seems at the same time unavoidable and problematic due to its colonial heritage. In this course we will discuss critically the idea of nature through an interdisciplinary perspective, considering different and diverse traditions of thought at the interface between science and policy. We aill follow the adventures of the idea of nature in ecology and conservation, trace its history and contradictions, and explore alternative paths. Topics addressed in class include a critical discussion of wilderness and mainstream conservation approaches, natural capital and ecosystem services, political ecology, different traditions in environmental philosophy (eco-phenomenology, environmental hermeneutics, Indigenous philosophies, ecofeminism) decolonial studies, and global environmental justice. We will discuss and compare different models of relationship to ‘nature’ and discuss understandings of ecology and forms of environmentalism and conservation.
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