Keywords
ecological identity, White, privilege, nature, natural, biophilia, education, environment
Document Type
Article
Abstract
Our encounters with the “natural” world are made possible by a complex of historical, political, social, and economic forces that shape each person’s ecological identity, or the way in which we relate to nature. I grew up in a White, middle-class family with easy access to green spaces, and this contributed to my growing up to become an environmental activist and educator. I now realize the doors which opened to allow me to embark on this path did not do so by chance and that many other people are prevented from engaging with nature in the ways I did as a child, teenager, and young adult. In order to be an effective environmental educator I have realized I must think critically about the forces of power and privilege that filter the ways in which different people relate to the natural world around them.
Recommended Citation
Engelfried, N. (2019). White Guy Hiking: How I Learned to Think Critically About My Ecological Identity. Summit to Salish Sea: Inquiries and Essays, 4(1). Retrieved from https://cedar.wwu.edu/s2ss/vol4/iss1/5
Rights
Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this document for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author’s written permission.
Rights Statement
http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-EDU/1.0/
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Type
Text
Included in
Civic and Community Engagement Commons, Curriculum and Instruction Commons, Educational Methods Commons, Educational Sociology Commons, Environmental Studies Commons, Place and Environment Commons, Theory and Philosophy Commons
