Nature writing as a genre in the collective imagination is centered in the global north, while historical anthropology tells stories of those of the global south as people once trapped in nature, and therefore, like the Earth, as without history outside of human agency. The Memory & Nature Working Group will meet to chart a new way forward with a focus on decolonizing memory scholarship, practice, and activism on the cosmos, nature, and or environmentalism. For example, some parts of the world are seen as models of a green future, while others are seen as sites of "underdevelopment" in need of new green methods from the pioneers of the new green economies.The invitation to current and new members of the Memory & Nature WG is to bring an open mind and a generous spirit to this important conversation at this moment of human-induced climate crisis that is savaging the Earth's ecosystems. We welcome those indigenous to lands once conquered by Europeans, scholars, and friends to contribute to the conversation toward decolonizing our understanding and practice of Memory & Nature-broadly defined. All members and attendees are also encouraged to bring an item (not too precious) to share in the room and space we plan to create as a calm place to go to, to recharge and power down from the otherwise joyful and challenging hustle and bustle of conferencing.
TFDC 2.16 MSA Conference Newcastle 2023 conference@memorystudiesassociation.orgNature writing as a genre in the collective imagination is centered in the global north, while historical anthropology tells stories of those of the global south as people once trapped in nature, and therefore, like the Earth, as without history outside of human agency. The Memory & Nature Working Group will meet to chart a new way forward with a focus on decolonizing memory scholarship, practice, and activism on the cosmos, nature, and or environmentalism. For example, some parts of the world are seen as models of a green future, while others are seen as sites of "underdevelopment" in need of new green methods from the pioneers of the new green economies.
The invitation to current and new members of the Memory & Nature WG is to bring an open mind and a generous spirit to this important conversation at this moment of human-induced climate crisis that is savaging the Earth's ecosystems. We welcome those indigenous to lands once conquered by Europeans, scholars, and friends to contribute to the conversation toward decolonizing our understanding and practice of Memory & Nature-broadly defined. All members and attendees are also encouraged to bring an item (not too precious) to share in the room and space we plan to create as a calm place to go to, to recharge and power down from the otherwise joyful and challenging hustle and bustle of conferencing.