Ecological Habitus:Toward a Better Understanding of Socioecological Relations

Abstract

There is a clear need to better understand the interdependent relationships between people and the biophysical world. Social science research is essential for such efforts but is not yet widely viewed as relevant to ecological research. Impeding its advancement in this direction are the characteristics of a modern Western worldview exhibited by, and problematic for, much of social scientific research, especially emphases on mechanism, dualism, and prediction. I offer environmental behavior research as an area in which these are apparent. I discuss the need to better account for the relations and processes that characterize human social life and suggest an alternative approach for doing so. Drawing on complementary works in sociological theory, I develop the notion of ecological habitus and propose it as a practical tool for more adequately thinking about and studying socioecological phenomena. I conclude with brief speculation about the possible empirical uses of the ecological habitus concept.

A Social Engagement: How Ecopsychology Can Benefit From Dialogue With the Social Sciences

“…Ecopsychology could instead be at the forefront of conceptualizing individual human and nonhuman nature relatedness as embedded in lifestyle webs of sociocultural praxis, often taken for granted (Kasper, 2009). Those of a sociological bent will not be too surprised by the emphasis on social and cultural context and practices, though it is a timely reminder that such an emphasis does not require a slide into social constructionist nihilism or relativism when it comes to nature (Kidner, 2001).…”

“…In fact, foundational work in ecopsychology has conceptualized the interplay of aspects of sociocultural infrastructure and norms with the personal and subjective, emphasizing the cultural pathologies underpinning environmentally destructive behaviors (Kidner, 2001;Roszak, 1992). By contrast, it is argued that sociology and social theory has only belatedly contributed to an attempt to understand the role of human behavior in both reproducing and potentially overcoming environmental crisis (Kasper, 2009;Shove, 2010). However, a substantial level of theory and research is now emerging in these fields that significantly overlaps with ecopsychological concerns (e.g., Beck, 2010;Davis, 2010;Jackson, 2008;Kasper, 2009;Lertzman, 2012;Shove, 2010).…”

“…By contrast, it is argued that sociology and social theory has only belatedly contributed to an attempt to understand the role of human behavior in both reproducing and potentially overcoming environmental crisis (Kasper, 2009;Shove, 2010). However, a substantial level of theory and research is now emerging in these fields that significantly overlaps with ecopsychological concerns (e.g., Beck, 2010;Davis, 2010;Jackson, 2008;Kasper, 2009;Lertzman, 2012;Shove, 2010). This work arguably extends our understanding of the social dimension of human-nonhuman nature connectedness and ecological degradation.…”

“…A range of work engages in articulating and advocating alternative practices more fully: Kate Soper's conceptualization of alternative hedonism, an explicit attempt to consider the joined-up pleasures of less consumption and nonconsumption and how such practices might gain broader cultural validation (Soper, 2007;Soper et al, 2009); Tim Jackson's similar emphasis on the ''gains'' of sustainable lifestyles (2008); Ulrich Beck's optimistic account of a ''green modernity'' (2010); Paul Kingsnorth and Dougland Hine's call to radically reformulate the ''narratives we live by'' (2010). More familiar might be Andy Fisher's call to radicalize ecopsychology and his emphasis on ''recollective practices '' (2002), and the practice and study of alternative communities such as transition towns (Chatterton & Cutler, 2008) and ecovillages (Kasper, 2008(Kasper, , 2009. Despite their differences, these studies share an attempt to articulate human activity as a space of practices invested with affect, in dynamic relationship with others, implicitly or explicitly embedding practices in social and cultural networks of validation, as vital to an understanding of environmental problems and solutions.…”

“…It is in this sense that ''ecovillages reflect [the] capacity to bring about change via the interaction of particular ways of thinking, perceiving, and doing on a daily basis.they seem to encourage the development of a particular type of ecological habitus'' (Kasper, 2009). Ecological habitus therefore has relevance to ecopsychology as a way of both conceptualizing the intertwining of the psychological and the social and, potentially, predicting which psychosocial configurations are likely to engender ''strong'' sustainability.…”