Theory of Knowledge - Course Companion for Students Marija Uzunova Dang Arvin Singh Uzunov Dang

II. Perspectives
of the original national parks were very
“Some
Banff has a horrible history of forcing
colonial.
out … a lot of the original parks had this
folks
that to protect nature you have to get
mentality
of people … none of these ecosystems have
rid
since the last ice age without people.”
existed
discussion about traditional ecological
The
(TEK) and nature religions in
knowledge
6 explains how and why popular
Chapter
and Western academia have, to an
science
embraced Indigenous ecological
extent,
An important question to
knowledges.
is why this has been so. The thesis of
consider
1 below, “How Conservation Became
source
is palpably relevant in our time,
Colonialism”,
we confront both a climate crisis and the
as
for decolonizing education. A similar
need
asserts that “increases in conservation
article
some of the most globally significant areas
in
conservation interest will increasingly not
of
be unjust, but also impossible without
only
consent and leadership” (Artelle
Indigenous
2019). And Steph Kwetásel’wet Wood
etal
that it is not just an issue of justice or
argues
but that Indigenous leadership leads
fairness,
higher economic and social returns than
to
Indigenous Peoples are best placed to lead
If
as these authors assert, how do
conservation,
metaphors have been used to describe
Various
such as a parent, organism, goddess
nature,
pan-psychic entity. The word “nature”
and
variously refer to an idea or entity, and is
can
connected to the act and concept
obviously
conservation: if conservation is the act of
of
in small groups, how you think about
Discuss,
know nature.
and
Do you have a relationship with nature, and if
1.
what does that relationship mean to you?
so,
How do your emotions, transactions and
2.
manifest in your interactions
identity
and thoughts and knowledge about,
with,
nature?
Choose one of the following statements
3.
most aligns with how you think about
that
and share why that is so. To what
nature,
are these statements mutually
extent
Nature is a place for me to explore and
(c)
the natural world.
enjoy
your own description if the above are
Offer
insufficient.
the people in your group have different
If
discuss why that might be the case.
responses,
example, does it depend on whether you
For
we can, or cannot, materially measure
think
define what nature is? Does it depend on
or
or not you have regular opportunities
whether
Discuss whether your different conceptions
4.
and knowledge about nature affect
of
you think of conservation. How
how
privilege, culture and access to
do
intersect with attitudes towards
nature
and knowledge about nature?
conservation
the arguments and perspectives of
Consider
two linked articles.
the
1: Zaitchik, A. 2018. “How
Source
Became Colonialism” (FP.com).
Conservation
terms: How
Search
became
conservation
2: Jacobsen, R. 2011. “Number One With
Source
Bullet” (Outsideonline.com).
a
terms: Number one
Search
Outside online
bullet
5
For discussion
Who knows about conservation?
(Artelle quoted in Wood 2019)
exclusive?
(a) Nature should be kept safe and
protected.
Nature should be used responsibly to
(b)
and improve the lives of people.
sustain
to go hiking, skiing, hunting, sailing and so on?
state-run efforts at conservation (2019).
you conceive of your role?
colonialism Foreign Policy
humans, nature is theobject.
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