Much of the vocabulary in this emerging field is yet to be agreed on, and the distinctions being made are often symptomatic of human exceptionalism and categorisations intrinsic to the modern western paradigm.
As part of this journey we developing a glossary for to anchor this initiative, in the meantime, a very early stage version can be found here.
* Nature
The human and more-than-human world. We capitalise the N in “Nature” to acknowledge Nature’s personhood and the interconnectedness between all beings within the Web of Life which is the foundation of Indigenous Knowledge, past and present. For example, the concept of Kawsak Sacha, as articulated here by José Gualinga Montalvo, of the Sarayaku people in the Ecuadorian Amazon. For the Sarayaku, the rainforest is a living being, a “Living Forest”.
* More-than-human
The more-than-human is a term coined by David Abram to “recogni[se] that humans are just one species among many, and that all forms of life have intrinsic value and agency”. Building on Indigenous Knowledge systems, we add plant life, minerals, micro-organisms, soils, water and so on to this definition. We are also open to emergent forms of hybrid synthetic life being considered.
* Multispecies justice
Is an attempt at redefining justice and the legal system in order to give legal rights and recognise the relationships between a far broader and more diverse range of subjects, agents and actors, than currently recognised. Celermajer, Cochrane, et al. unpack the usefulness and problematics of the term as part of this Paper.
* Environmental justice
Environmental justice, is a term coined by Robert Bullard, Paul Mohai, Robin Saha, and Beverly Wright to describe the inequitable distribution of environmental benefits and harms.
As we continue our journey toward appointing Nature to our Board, we’ll be sharing insights, reflections, and questions explored along the way, through blog posts, articles, and online presentations. Follow us on our website and socials for the latest updates.
