The environmental humanities bridges the traditional divide between science and humanities to examine the past and present environmental problems holistically. We look at not only ecological and historical facts, but also the human factors that influence collective beliefs and behaviors. We also examine the stories we tell and write our own stories to ensure that facts alone do not drive the changes needed in the world. We must also create a new human story.
The environmental humanities examine cultural productions such as literature, film, media and philosophy to understand how nature and the environment are referred to and depicted. This examination allows environmental humanities scholars to track and trace how attitudes about nature have changed over time, as well as across religions, geography, and knowledge systems.
The environmental humanities asks us questions such as: How can we account human beliefs and cultures when creating climate-change solution? How is social justice intertwined with environmental issues? How do different cultures relate to the natural world, and the place that humans have in it? Eco-documentaries can be used to challenge the reliance on nuclear power or fossil fuels.
UCI’s research in environmental humanities is DeepScholars dive beneath the surface to understand today’s challenges. RadicalScholars get to the root of complex problems. Creativity, where scholars are imagining new approaches and learning lessons from nature; engagedScholars encourage new ways of thinking, and take action.
Our scholars in the humanities work with a toolbox that includes critical assessment, cultural attunement storytelling, historical context and deep interpretation of human beliefs, motivations, and narrative. These tools are crucial to solving the complex and multifaceted environmental challenges of today. Sometimes it is as easy as asking, “Good for whom?” And at whose expense?
The following multimedia tour will take you through the multidisciplinary UCI Humanities faculty that tackle environmental humanities research.
Tyrus Miller
Dean, UCI School of Humanities