Imagining Extinction

The Cultural Meanings of Endangered Species

Nonfiction, Religion & Spirituality, Philosophy, Ethics & Moral Philosophy, Science & Nature, Nature, Fiction & Literature, Literary Theory & Criticism
Cover of the book Imagining Extinction by Ursula K. Heise, University of Chicago Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Ursula K. Heise ISBN: 9780226358338
Publisher: University of Chicago Press Publication: August 10, 2016
Imprint: University of Chicago Press Language: English
Author: Ursula K. Heise
ISBN: 9780226358338
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
Publication: August 10, 2016
Imprint: University of Chicago Press
Language: English

We are currently facing the sixth mass extinction of species in the history of life on Earth, biologists claim—the first one caused by humans. Activists, filmmakers, writers, and artists are seeking to bring the crisis to the public’s attention through stories and images that use the strategies of elegy, tragedy, epic, and even comedy. Imagining Extinction is the first book to examine the cultural frameworks shaping these narratives and images.

Ursula K. Heise argues that understanding these stories and symbols is indispensable for any effective advocacy on behalf of endangered species. More than that, she shows how biodiversity conservation, even and especially in its scientific and legal dimensions, is shaped by cultural assumptions about what is valuable in nature and what is not. These assumptions are hardwired into even seemingly neutral tools such as biodiversity databases and laws for the protection of endangered species. Heise shows that the conflicts and convergences of biodiversity conservation with animal welfare advocacy, environmental justice, and discussions about the Anthropocene open up a new vision of multispecies justice. Ultimately, Imagining Extinction demonstrates that biodiversity, endangered species, and extinction are not only scientific questions but issues of histories, cultures, and values.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

We are currently facing the sixth mass extinction of species in the history of life on Earth, biologists claim—the first one caused by humans. Activists, filmmakers, writers, and artists are seeking to bring the crisis to the public’s attention through stories and images that use the strategies of elegy, tragedy, epic, and even comedy. Imagining Extinction is the first book to examine the cultural frameworks shaping these narratives and images.

Ursula K. Heise argues that understanding these stories and symbols is indispensable for any effective advocacy on behalf of endangered species. More than that, she shows how biodiversity conservation, even and especially in its scientific and legal dimensions, is shaped by cultural assumptions about what is valuable in nature and what is not. These assumptions are hardwired into even seemingly neutral tools such as biodiversity databases and laws for the protection of endangered species. Heise shows that the conflicts and convergences of biodiversity conservation with animal welfare advocacy, environmental justice, and discussions about the Anthropocene open up a new vision of multispecies justice. Ultimately, Imagining Extinction demonstrates that biodiversity, endangered species, and extinction are not only scientific questions but issues of histories, cultures, and values.

More books from University of Chicago Press

Cover of the book Sex Museums by Ursula K. Heise
Cover of the book I Write What I Like by Ursula K. Heise
Cover of the book The Myth of Achievement Tests by Ursula K. Heise
Cover of the book Sophocles II by Ursula K. Heise
Cover of the book Purity and Exile by Ursula K. Heise
Cover of the book Punishment and Modern Society by Ursula K. Heise
Cover of the book High-Skilled Migration to the United States and Its Economic Consequences by Ursula K. Heise
Cover of the book Sovereignty and the Responsibility to Protect by Ursula K. Heise
Cover of the book The Death Gap by Ursula K. Heise
Cover of the book Tunnel Visions by Ursula K. Heise
Cover of the book The Positive Case for Negative Campaigning by Ursula K. Heise
Cover of the book The Aesthetics of Meaning and Thought by Ursula K. Heise
Cover of the book Ice Age Forensics by Ursula K. Heise
Cover of the book Little Kisses by Ursula K. Heise
Cover of the book Victorian Sensation by Ursula K. Heise
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy