Details
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 470-488 |
| Number of pages | 19 |
| Journal | People and Nature |
| Volume | 5 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| Publication status | Published - 3 Apr 2023 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Abstract
The human relationship with nature is a topic that has been explored throughout human history. More recently, the idea of connection to nature has merged as an important transdisciplinary field of study. Despite increased scholarly attention to connection to nature, the notion of disconnection from nature remains undertheorized and understudied. In this perspective article, we argue for a more comprehensive understanding of disconnection from nature to strengthen theories of human-nature relationships that goes beyond individual relationships and considers social and collective factors of disconnection, including institutional, socio-cultural and power dimensions. Drawing on case insights, we present the ‘wheel of disconnection’ to illustrate how disconnections from nature manifest across individual or societal meaning-making processes, thereby problematizing existing research that seeks to create dualisms between human positive and negative impacts on the environment in isolation from cultural or political contexts. We do not seek to discount research or important practical efforts to foster an individual's connection to nature by elevating disconnection. Instead, we hope that creating greater awareness and understanding of disconnection will be able to guide opportunities going forward for strengthening a connection to nature along a continuum from the individual to the social. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Keywords
- connection to nature (C2N), disconnection, ecosystem services and disservices, environmental education, meaning-making
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Agricultural and Biological Sciences(all)
- Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Sustainable Development Goals
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In: People and Nature, Vol. 5, No. 2, 03.04.2023, p. 470-488.
Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Research › peer review
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Disconnection from nature
T2 - Expanding our understanding of human–nature relations
AU - Beery, Thomas
AU - Stahl Olafsson, Anton
AU - Gentin, Sandra
AU - Maurer, Megan
AU - Stålhammar, Sanna
AU - Albert, Christian
AU - Bieling, Claudia
AU - Buijs, Arjen
AU - Fagerholm, Nora
AU - Garcia‐Martin, Maria
AU - Plieninger, Tobias
AU - Raymond, Christopher M.
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Authors. People and Nature published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Ecological Society.
PY - 2023/4/3
Y1 - 2023/4/3
N2 - The human relationship with nature is a topic that has been explored throughout human history. More recently, the idea of connection to nature has merged as an important transdisciplinary field of study. Despite increased scholarly attention to connection to nature, the notion of disconnection from nature remains undertheorized and understudied. In this perspective article, we argue for a more comprehensive understanding of disconnection from nature to strengthen theories of human-nature relationships that goes beyond individual relationships and considers social and collective factors of disconnection, including institutional, socio-cultural and power dimensions. Drawing on case insights, we present the ‘wheel of disconnection’ to illustrate how disconnections from nature manifest across individual or societal meaning-making processes, thereby problematizing existing research that seeks to create dualisms between human positive and negative impacts on the environment in isolation from cultural or political contexts. We do not seek to discount research or important practical efforts to foster an individual's connection to nature by elevating disconnection. Instead, we hope that creating greater awareness and understanding of disconnection will be able to guide opportunities going forward for strengthening a connection to nature along a continuum from the individual to the social. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
AB - The human relationship with nature is a topic that has been explored throughout human history. More recently, the idea of connection to nature has merged as an important transdisciplinary field of study. Despite increased scholarly attention to connection to nature, the notion of disconnection from nature remains undertheorized and understudied. In this perspective article, we argue for a more comprehensive understanding of disconnection from nature to strengthen theories of human-nature relationships that goes beyond individual relationships and considers social and collective factors of disconnection, including institutional, socio-cultural and power dimensions. Drawing on case insights, we present the ‘wheel of disconnection’ to illustrate how disconnections from nature manifest across individual or societal meaning-making processes, thereby problematizing existing research that seeks to create dualisms between human positive and negative impacts on the environment in isolation from cultural or political contexts. We do not seek to discount research or important practical efforts to foster an individual's connection to nature by elevating disconnection. Instead, we hope that creating greater awareness and understanding of disconnection will be able to guide opportunities going forward for strengthening a connection to nature along a continuum from the individual to the social. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
KW - connection to nature (C2N)
KW - disconnection
KW - ecosystem services and disservices
KW - environmental education
KW - meaning-making
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85149333431&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1002/pan3.10451
DO - 10.1002/pan3.10451
M3 - Article
VL - 5
SP - 470
EP - 488
JO - People and Nature
JF - People and Nature
SN - 2575-8314
IS - 2
ER -