In this dissertation, focusing on the problem of &ldquo / aesthetic form&rdquo / and its relation to the distinction between natural and artistic beauty, it is argued that the Japanese philosopher Kitar

Schelling and Adorno are two thinkers from different periods who are critical of the modern scientific approach towards nature, which they deem disruptive. Schelling’s orientation is mainly towards the epistemological, while Adorno’s is also political. Both seek to find a path of the subject’s reconciliation with nature through aesthetics. Via Schelling’s works First Outline of a System of the Philosophy of Nature and System of Transcendental Idealism as well as Adorno’s Dialectic of Enlightenment and Aesthetic theory, this paper emphasizes similarities and differences in their respective ideas on the art-nature relationship. Schelling’s idealistic-practical philosophy centers around the synthetization of nature and freedom, which culminates in the artwork while Adorno rather focuses on subjectivity’s dominance of nature and self and how aesthetics could reform subjectivity into something less harmful, which too would be a step towards freedom. The essay argues that the two thinkers complement each other in certain aspects and that their affinities are more than what appears at a first glance.

The purpose of this study is to analyze and understand why some Black women in Greensboro, North Carolina have made the decision to wear their hair naturally, in its original kinky, curly, non-straightened form. I’ve chosen this topic because “in our society, long straight hair has generally been considered the gold standard for attractiveness” (Rosette & Dumas, 2007, p. 410) and by deviating from that gold standard, Black women are affected, personally and politically. In my perspective, it is important to understand why a woman would opt to make this choice, knowing the potential backlash she faces (i.e. losing her job, rejection in a romantic relationship, or school suspension). To facilitate this purpose, the guiding research inquiries included 10 questions about the woman’s hair journey, at different stages of her life: before perming, while perming, and going natural. In speaking with 10 women from three different generations, I found that the process of going natural is at once complex and simple, is simultaneously gradual and instant, both terrifying and liberating. Ultimately, I learned that even though various factors play a part in this process, “going natural” is a decision mostly directed and determined by the woman standing in the mirror. / MS

En cette époque de profonds bouleversements environnementaux, les motifs invoqués par la communauté internationale en vue de protéger la nature sont multiples. Si la préservation de la biodiversité est souvent mise à l’avant-plan, les préoccupations témoignent également d’une sensibilité omniprésente à la beauté des paysages. Cette thèse étudie donc le rôle de l’appréciation esthétique de la nature dans la désignation internationale d’aires protégées. Elle emploie pour cela l’exemple de la Convention concernant la protection du patrimoine mondial, culturel et naturel, adoptée en 1972 par l’UNESCO. Les préceptes de cet instrument de conservation de portée globale admettent l’importance de sauvegarder la beauté du monde naturel, sans toutefois prescrire de moyens clairs pour identifier et sélectionner les sites méritant protection à ce titre. Face à ce flou méthodologique, la thèse examine les facteurs historiques, structurels et techniques qui façonnent, de façon relativement implicite et spontanée, l’inscription d’aires naturelles d’une beauté exceptionnelle sur la Liste du patrimoine mondial. La thèse est constituée de six chapitres. Le premier chapitre introduit le problème et la question de recherche. La revue de la littérature pose ensuite les bases contextuelles et théoriques de la recherche en explorant différents facteurs historiques et philosophiques d’appréciation de la nature. Le troisième chapitre expose la méthodologie qualitative et historique employée dans la thèse. Il est suivi d’un chapitre qui retrace l’origine des préoccupations esthétiques qui ont été intégrées à la Convention du patrimoine mondial lors de sa création, avant de détailler le développement et l’application de ces idées durant les cinq décennies de sa mise en œuvre. Le cinquième chapitre est quant à lui dédié à l’étude spécifique de l’application du critère de sélection (vii), qui prévoit la reconnaissance « […] d’aires d'une beauté naturelle et d'une importance esthétique exceptionnelles ». Finalement, la conclusion renferme une synthèse et une discussion des résultats, appelant à une reconsidération de la valeur esthétique de la nature à travers une meilleure prise en compte de ses dimensions humaine et sociale. Elle aborde également la contribution et les limites de la thèse et suggère des pistes de recherches ultérieures. Les résultats de la recherche brossent un portrait précis des enjeux théoriques et pratiques qui caractérisent l’interprétation de la valeur esthétique des espaces naturels dans le cadre du patrimoine mondial. Celle-ci s’avère largement influencée par la séparation conceptuelle et disciplinaire entre culture et nature ainsi que par le paradigme scientifique, objectiviste et universaliste qui prédominent au sein de la Convention de 1972. Réalisée sans assise théorique claire, l’évaluation de la beauté naturelle est vulnérable aux jugements subjectifs et aux incohérences. Pour y conférer plus de structure et de rigueur, la thèse appelle à une meilleure prise en compte du rôle de la perspective humaine et des facteurs socioculturels dans la construction de la valeur esthétique de la nature. / In this era of substantial environmental disruption, incentives given by the international community to protect nature are many. While the preservation of biodiversity is often at the forefront, preoccupations also show an enduring sensitivity to scenic beauty. This thesis therefore examines the role of the aesthetic appreciation of nature in the international designation of protected areas, through the example of the 1972 UNESCO Convention concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage. The principles of this global conservation instrument recognize the importance of safeguarding the beauty of the natural world, but do not prescribe clear means for identifying and selecting sites deserving protection as such. In the face of this methodological uncertainty, this thesis examines the historical, structural, and technical factors that shape, in a relatively implicit and spontaneous way, the inscription of natural areas of outstanding beauty on the World Heritage List. The thesis consists of six chapters. The first chapter introduces the problem and research question. The literature review then sets the contextual and theoretical basis for the research by exploring various historical and philosophical factors of nature appreciation. The third chapter outlines the qualitative and historical methodology used in the thesis. This is followed by a chapter tracing the origin of the aesthetic concerns that were incorporated into the World Heritage Convention at its inception, before detailing the development and application of these ideas over the five decades of its implementation. The fifth chapter is dedicated to the specific study of the application of selection criterion (vii), which provides for the designation of "...areas of outstanding natural beauty and aesthetic importance". Finally, the conclusion contains a synthesis and discussion of the results, calling for a rethinking of the aesthetic value of nature through a better consideration of its human and social dimensions. It also addresses the contribution and limitations of the thesis, and suggests avenues for further research. The results of the research provide a clear picture of the theoretical and practical issues that characterize the interpretation of the aesthetic value of natural areas in the context of World Heritage. This interpretation is largely influenced by the conceptual and disciplinary separation between culture and nature, as well as by the scientific, objectivist and universalist paradigm that prevail in the 1972 Convention. Carried out without a clear theoretical foundation, the assessment of natural beauty is vulnerable to subjective judgments and inconsistencies. To provide more structure and rigor, this thesis calls for a better consideration of the role of the human perspective in constructing the aesthetic value of nature.

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