Recoverable Earth: rewilding and the rise of a 21st century environmental narrative.

Abstract

In this talk, I will posit argue that rewilding is giving form to a new environmental narrative that is different in structure and worldview to the dominant 20th century environmental narrative. An appreciation of underlying environmental narratives is important. This is because narratives are a guide to sense making in a complex and uncertain world and provide social movements, science and advocacy with legitimacy and purpose. Narratives create 'architectures' for the telling of normative stories about the state of the world and how we might act within it.

I will first outline the origins and narrative elements of the traditional environmental narrative. I will analyse its wide-reaching influence but also argue that this has is based on promoting anxiety and constructing characters of good and evil. I will go on to suggest that rewilding stories are giving form to a new narrative archetecture that has similarities with accounts of mental health recovery. This emerging narrative, which I label 'Recoverable Earth' includes components relating to awakenings, action and change leading to recovery of ecological, social and personal well being. I will argue that it is a future-looking narrative of empowerment, reassessment, change and hope.