The Human-Nature Connection: A Multi-Disciplinary Exploration

Abstract

Over the course of modern history, as the industrialized world has become increasingly driven by economic growth and technological advancement, humans have lost sight of their interconnection with the natural world. As a result, human-induced destruction of the environment has led to conditions that threaten human existence itself. This project is an exploration into the complex relationship between humans and nature, in the form of a literature review of the vast body of work on this topic. It will discuss concepts such as biophilia and ecopsychology, and will identify linkages between nature connectedness, human health and well-being, and tendencies toward environmental actions such as recycling and volunteering. This project also highlights themes from the literature at the intersection of the human-nature connection and the social and environmental justice movements. Readers will learn about the Indigenous concept of ecological kinship and the roles that diversity, love, and the arts can play in repairing the connection between humans and nature. The project will describe the work of various prominent scholars, activists, and organizations involved in human-nature connection research, discourse, and practice. The author intersperses artistic and creative written interludes throughout the project, reflecting her personal engagement with the natural world from a multi-disciplinary experiential framework.