Thesis (MA)-- Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: On the way to a contemporary eco-aesthetic. My thesis consists of three chapters; the first chapter contains a basic background study and philosophic research of concepts which are relevant to my work; the second chapter is a discussion of ecofeminism as political and spiritual phenomena (my work resorts in the genre of ecofeminism); and the third chapter is an analytic consideration and discussion where my works are presented as a visual explanation of my own interpretation of the dialogue between art and science with underlying geographical and ecological concepts. Some of these concepts purport the ritual of cycles and the aesthetic experience thereof. They deal with the earth as maternal patron where the layers of society (evidence of existence) becomes evident in the layering of the earth. This evidence of existence can be found in the waste generated from the cyclic existence of living beings and organisms. In addition, the traditional scrub or healing activities which are ascribed to women, are used as an argument to effectuate a consciousness of symbioses. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: My tesis bestaan uit drie hoofstukke; die eerste hoofstuk behels 'n basiese agtergrondstudie en filosofiese ondersoek na konsepte wat na my mening betrekking het op my werk; die tweede hoofstuk is 'n bespreking oor ekofeminisme as politieke en spirituele verskynsel (my werk ressorteer onder ekofeminisme as genre); en die derde hoofstuk 'n analitiese beskouing en bespreking waar my werk aangebied word as visuele verduideliking van my persoonlike interpretasie van die dialoog tussen kuns en wetenskap met onderliggende geografiese en ekologiese konsepte. Van hierdie konsepte gaan oor die ritueel van siklusse en die estetiese belewenis daarvan. Dit handeloor die aarde as die moederskoot waar die lae van samelewings (bewyse van bestaan) gelees kan word in die gelaagdheid van die aarde. Hierdie bewyse van bestaan kan gevind word in die afval wat gegenereer word uit die sikliese bestaanswyse van lewende wesens en organismes. Hiermee saam word die tradisionele skrop- of helende aktiwiteite wat aan vroue toegeken word, as argument gebruik om 'n bewussyn van simbiose te bewerkstellig.

This thesis encompasses a survey of contemporary environmental literature (1970s to the present) as it relates to the tenets of Taoist literature, specifically the Chuang Tzu and the Tao te Ching. The thesis also presents and evaluates pertinent criticisms concerning the practice of relating modern environmental problems to ancient Chinese philosophy. The thesis contains a preface that describes the historic roots of Taoism as well as an explanation of the Chinese terminology in the paper. The environmental literature is divided into three major groups and discussed in the three chapters of the paper. The three groups include mainstream environmentalists, deep ecology, and ecofeminism.

M.A. University of the Witwatersrand, Faculty of Humanities, 2012. / Humanity’s relationship with nature has, in recent years, undoubtedly been one of contention and turmoil, an issue whose drama is gaining popularity in popular culture and, especially, film. In this dissertation I examine how these challenging human-nature relationships play out in Terrence Malick’s The New World, Werner Herzog’s Grizzly Man and Encounters at the End of the World, Sean Penn’s Into the Wild, and the Jon Krakauer book, of the same title, upon which Penn’s film is based. As one’s views on nature (like all else) are mediated through language, using ecocritical principles slanted towards filmic, as opposed to written, texts, I provide a close examination of the ways in which these artists portray the relationship between language and nature, and the impact this has on our cultural and individual identities. I will also show how these primary texts make use of centuries-old Romantic aesthetics in order to humanise nature for moral ends. The primary texts agree that a large part of the problem in the poor relationship between humanity and nature is due to inadequate metaphors with which humanity views the earth. Thus, each artist promotes a certain kind of anthropomorphic understanding of nature which he believes is pivotal in encouraging better interconnections between humanity and nature. As a result, I provide a critique of the kinds of metaphors used by each respective artist, where some metaphors of nature may support or contradict a certain artist’s aims in his portrayal of human-nature relationships.

With increasing recognition that reducing carbon emissions from energy in the UK will make a significant contribution to the mitigation of anthropogenic climate change, and with carbon budgets forged following the Climate Change Act 2005 looking unlikely to be met, it is clear that sectoral changes are required to catalyse the decarbonisation process. Alongside the need for this industry to be at the forefront of decarbonisation, the energy sector needs to diversify and employ more women, Black and Minority Ethnic (BAME), LGBT and disabled people, as well as those from different social classes and varied educational backgrounds. In short, the energy industry in the UK presently has a diversity issue that transcends being an image problem; it is hampering progress. This masters’ thesis explores how the dual aims of decarbonisation and diversifying the workforce can aid one another, and the extent to which greater diversity within the energy sector could actually be the key to decarbonisation. Using transcripts from the interviews I conducted with eight individuals, as well as meta- analysis of existing data that examines the impacts of diversity in various industries, the ways in which greater diversity in the energy sector has the potential to be positive for decarbonisation are explored. Further, this paper also examines barriers to diversity, proposing a series of recommendations for industry and policy makers in order to create an energy sector that is more diverse. These recommendations can be found in the next steps section of the paper, which aims to provide guidance for those wishing to make the composition of their organisation more representative of wider society.

This project examines the presence and significance of ecofeminism and pedagogy within contemporary Young Adult literatures, particularly girls’ ecofantasy literatures. Specifically, I examine the role and representations of the female body in nature and any real or perceived connections between them. To accomplish this, I bring the theories of several feminist, ecofeminist, and environmental studies scholars together with my primary texts, Green Angel and Green Witch by Alice Hoffman, to examine the depiction of the female body in nature through interconnectedness and reciprocity between human and non-human nature, green transformations, and the archetype of the witch. / Includes bibliography. / Thesis (M.A.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2013.

This thesis examines the social impact of wildlife conservation nonprofits (WCNs) in the United States and Ecuador. Cultural developments of environmentalism provide the social context for WCNs, informing trends in participation and conflict. WCNs rely on public support and engagement to advance their mission, which requires an image of legitimacy and healthy organizational culture. This thesis argues the relationship between WCNs and the public impacts their organizational sustainability and their success as a conservation institution.

Title from PDF of title page. / Document formatted into pages; contains 83 pages / Thesis (M.A.)--University of South Florida, 2000. / Includes bibliographical references. / Text (Electronic thesis) in PDF format. / ABSTRACT: Issues related to women, environment and development constitute a major global concern today. Women's roles as agents of change in the environment has increasingly become the focus of both research and policy concerns. Environmental resource management is directly linked to development, and this makes it crucial to examine the activities of women more closely. Women's role in the management of natural resources assumes a multidimensional nature. Unfortunately, the central and crucial role that women play is often both overlooked and unappreciated, rendering them invisible and greatly diminishing their contribution as both producers and active agents in sustainable development. One of the arguments central to this thesis is that rural women's connections to the physical world can inform feminist theory as well as broader policy frameworks. / Their knowledge and experiences can and should be fundamental in devising programs for sustainable development. Case studies are central to this thesis because they provide specific situations and issues and lend a concrete material reality to the topics under discussion. They point to the multidimensional and multifunctional nature of women's roles in natural resource management in addition to highlighting the diverse constraints that women face. Case studies help identify strategies that could be applied to facilitate sustainable development efforts by presenting us with tangible situations rather than dealing with the abstract. / Clearly, this thesis has not covered the entire scope of issues that need to be addressed in the women, environment and development debate. Nor are the suggested strategies for enhancing women&softsign;s role as environmental resource managers exhaustive. Nonetheless, it is my hope that this thesis serves as a beginning for what constitute some of the key issues when engaging with the women, environment and development debate. / System requirements: World Wide Web browser and PDF reader. / Mode of access: World Wide Web.

Through a critical examination of the works of Tom Robbins, this thesis interrogates the historical evolution and appropriation of the magic(al) realist tradition. In so doing, it situates Robbins’ writing within the framework of postmodernism, and explores the ontological implications inherent in Robbins’ use of magic(al) realist concepts and conventions. With a specific emphasis on the notion of cultural consciousness, this thesis analyzes the object- oriented cosmologies embodied and espoused in three of Robbins’ novels: Still Life with Woodpecker (1980), Skinny Legs and All (1990), and B is for Beer (2009). It unpacks the ideological figuration of various textual devices evident in Another Roadside Attraction (1971) and Even Cowgirls Get the Blues (1976) – particularly the gendered use of unreliable narrators – and, with reference to Jitterbug Perfume (1984), relates Robbins’ appropriation of the magic(al) realist tradition to the American counterculture movement of the 1960s and 70s. Employing poststructuralist, feminist, ecofeminist, and postcolonial discourses, this thesis ultimately seeks to position Robbins’ writing within the context of a radical emancipatory politics that views (and uses) literature as an ideological space in which to challenge, reinterpret, and democratize Western metanarratives.

Since the 1960s, the modern environmental movement, though generally liberal in nature, has historically excluded a variety of serious and influential groups. This thesis concentrates on the movement of working-class housewives who emerged into popular American consciousness in the seventies and eighties with their increasingly radical campaigns against toxic contamination in their respective communities. These women represent a group who exhibited the convergence of cultural influences where domesticity and environmentalism met in the middle of American society, and the increasing focus on public health in the environmental movement framed the fight undertaken by women who identified as “housewives.” These women, in their use of both traditional female stereotypes as well as radical influences from other social movements, synthesized their own unique type of activism, which has had a profound influence on the environmental movement and public health in the United States, especially in its relation to environmental justice.

This is a multi-disciplinary applied ethics thesis in the field of applied environmental business ethics. As such, whilst it is primarily anchored in philosophical literature; theory and literature from the fields of environment, education, management, social science, and psychology, all play a significant part. As this is an applied ethics thesis, as opposed to a traditional philosophy thesis, it not only addresses the issue concerned, but also theoretically demonstrates how the proposed alternative approaches might be applied. Methodologically, the underpinning assumption for the thesis stems from the social constructionist belief that external influences can result in internal personal change. The overall thesis has been designed and structured taking a systems approach. As in nature itself, there is an overall aim or system, within which there are many interconnecting sub-systems or theories that can stand alone, but are also directly linked to each other so that my desired outcome can be achieved. In addition, the McCarthy/Kolb 4 Mat System of learning style preference has been embedded into the structure. Due to the multi-disciplinary and applied nature of the thesis, together with the aim and content of the study, a number of specific writing techniques have been employed. These techniques are intended to model some of the recommended strategies, and include inclusive language where possible, and a minimum amount of assumed knowledge, with narratives and stories sprinkled throughout each chapter, where relevant. Finally, a number of established theories have been used to support my proposal for a Heart-Centred Virtue Ethics. The foundation theory is virtue-based ethics, with a primary focus on the work of David Hume, and to a lesser extent Aristotle. This foundation theory is, in turn, supported by a number of dimensions of environmental philosophy including ecofeminism, ethics of care, and the transformational aspect of deep ecology. The relatively new management field of emotional intelligence also plays a major role. The context in which the thesis is set is sustainability from an organisational perspective, and the motivations for caring for nature, which are generally based on externally imposed, content-driven rules, from an anthropocentric perspective. However, I argue that the ideal motivation for caring for nature is based internally, on environmental virtue. Thus, people are taking care of the environment because in their heart they want to, not begrudgingly because externally imposed rules say that they have to. I suggest that movement through various levels of motivation to virtue might occur with an increase in ecological consciousness. In support of these claims, the main elements of environmental philosophy are discussed, and the relevant theories of virtue are presented, including environmental virtue. It is then argued that virtue per se is not enough – that for one to be environmentally virtuous, one needs to have some kind of relationship with nature. To that end, the tenets of ecofeminism, and ethics of care, both based on the notion of relationship, are introduced. However, the dilemma is then presented; “How do you persuade the predominantly male business community of the benefits of the so-called soft skills of virtue, ecofeminism, and ethics of care?” An answer comes in the form of the new management field of emotional intelligence that is gaining acceptance amongst leading-edge organisations worldwide. Having introduced the concept of emotional intelligence, I then demonstrate that the main characteristics and aims of emotional intelligence are virtually identical to those of ethics of care and virtue, and ecofeminism. Therefore, initially the aims of these philosophies can be achieved within the business community, under the guise of emotional intelligence. With all the relevant theories firmly in place, I then return to the notion of raising ecological consciousness, and argue that one way that ecological consciousness might be raised is with a process-oriented, action strategy, that I call Heart-Centred Virtue Ethics. I then theoretically explore the application of heart-centred virtue ethics which is primarily based on emotional intelligence implementation strategies, combined with some intellectual intelligence procedures, and a third ingredient, meta-intelligence.