Student: Lex Shapiro
Graduation date: May 2017
Type: Concentration (single major)
Date approved: November 2014
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Summary
Similar to Christine Walley in Rough Waters (2004), I hope to examine different ideas and perceptions of “nature”. These understandings shape a part of who we are as human beings and the ways we interact with other human and non-human components of the world. When nature is considered to be everything that exists that is not a product of human activity, the separation of natural and human components becomes problematic. Because nature is socially constructed, we generally place this elusive term in quotations. The task of defining nature should be situated because perceptions of and relationships to nature vary across the world. These differences are due to various social contexts, for instance, regional histories or globalization impacts.
The Andes form a fundamental region of South America, stretching across the countries of Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, and Chile (Gade 1999). Within the Andes region there are over 800 indigenous communities, with upwards of 118 different languages spoken (Toledo 2013, Adelaar 2004). Because of their size, the mountain range is divided into two major regions, “the equatorial Andes” and “the tropical Andes”(Rosengren 2002). The multiplicity of ecological zones fosters a variety of different relationships with human inhabitants.
No official definition of “indigenous peoples” exists, resulting in many different interpretations (Mills, 2002). Due to the fact that there are no objective criteria for defining who is or is not indigenous, I will focus on those who define themselves as indigenous (or as belonging to a specific group, i.e. Quechua). Andean indigenous groups are often romanticized as fairly static, timeless, and exotic. This perspective is conveyed by the notion of “lo Andino,” or Andean-ness, which asserts that all indigenous groups identify with dated cultural practices, mythology, and rituals (Knapp 2010). Pachamama is the epitome of this idea. A belief exists that the material life, Pachamama, is intimately connected with the spiritual life, Pachakamak, and social life, Pachankama chana (WinklerPrins 2004). At the essence of this intricate bond lies the idea that all living and nonliving things, as well as the natural and social worlds are inherently intertwined. This picturesque idea is quite complex, as practices associated with it differ by community. It is further complicated due to the growing urbanization of indigenous peoples and the increasing emphasis on Western education systems and forms of knowledge across Andean countries (Canessa 2012).
Ethnoecology is defined as, “the interdisciplinary study of how nature is perceived by human groups through a screen of beliefs and knowledge, and how humans, though their symbols, use and/or manage natural resources” (Toledo 2013). There are many indigenous communities within the Andes and “no two social groups make precisely the same evaluation of the environment” (Tuan 1974, Marten 2001, Rosengren 2002). I intend on exploring the variety but also the patterns amongst indigenous peoples’ perceptions of nature and how those understandings influence their behaviors, through actions such as social mobilization or agricultural techniques. For example the Workers Landless Movement (MST) of Bolivia used stories of ayllu as a way to form cultural and historic bases that connect to themes about the sacredness of the environment as a way to unite the group, but also as an incentive to carry out sustainable practices (Fabricant 2012). Throughout my future classes, research, and oversees experience I hope to gain a better understanding of what defines an indigenous identity and how indigenous peoples within the Andes region perceive of, relate to, and define nature.
Adelaar, Willem. 2004. Languages of the Andes. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Canessa, Andrew. 2012. Intimate Indigeneities Race, Sex, and History in the Small Spaces of Andean Life. Durham: Duke University Press.
Fabricant, Nicole and Gustafson, Bret. 2011. Remapping Bolivia : Resources, Territory, and Indigeneity in a Plurinational State. 1st ed. Santa Fe: School for Advanced Research Press.
Gade, Daniel. 1999. Nature and Culture in the Andes. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press.
Knapp, Gregory. 2010. “The Andes: Personal Reflections on Cultural Change, 1977-2010.” Journal of Cultural Geography 27 (3): 3doi:10.1080/08873631.2010.516923.
Marten, Gerald. 2001. Human Ecology: Basic Concepts for Sustainable Development. Earthscan Publications.
Mills, John A. 2002. “Legal Constructions of Cultural Identity in Latin America: An Argument against Defining Indigenous Peoples.” Texas Hispanic Journal of Law & Policy 8: 49.
Rosengren, Dan. 2002. “Indigenous Peoples of the Andean Countries: Cultural and Political Aspects.” University of Uppsala.
Toledo, Víctor M. 2013. “Indigenous Peoples and Biodiversity.” In Encyclopedia of Biodiversity. 2nd ed. 269–78. Waltham: Academic Press.
Tuan, Yi-Fu. 1974. Topophilia: A Study of Environmental Perceptions, Attitudes, and Values.New Jersey: Prentice-Hall Inc.
Walley, Christine J. 2004. “Where There Is No Nature.” In Rough Waters: Nature and Development in an East African Marine Park, 138–44. Princeton University Press.
WinklerPrins, Antoinette, and Narciso Barrera-Bassols. 2004. “Latin American Ethnopedology: A Vision of Its Past, Present, and Future.” Agriculture & Human Values 35–52. doi: 10.1023/B:AHUM.0000029405.37237.c8
Questions
- Descriptive: How have Andean perceptions of and relationship with nature changed since European colonization? Is there a current, prominent understanding or definition of nature within indigenous Andean communities? How have perceptions of nature affected Indigenous communities’ way of life? Are peoples’ perceptions of nature a force that brings them together as a community?
- Explanatory: What type of cultural values influence indigenous peoples’ perception of nature? Do national and/or international policies and governments play a role in these perceptions?
- Evaluative: Because the Andes are so large, are there conflicting perceptions within the region, and how has that affected indigenous peoples’ relationships?
- Instrumental: If inconsistent perceptions become an issue, how can those differences be mediated?
Concentration courses
- SOAN 266 (Social Change in Latin America, 4 credits), fall 2014. Concentration-related class focusing on a wide variety of social movements (environmental movements included) throughout Latin America.
- ENVS 499 (Independent Study, 2+2 credits), spring 2015, spring 2016. Concentration-related research connected to anticipated Bolivia overseas program during fall 2015.
- SOAN 305 (Environmental Sociology, 4 credits), spring 2016. Concentration-related course that looks at urban sociology, theories of social inequality, environmental justice topics, and social movements research.
- LACB 3005 (Vivir Bien: Well-Being and Resilience in Andean and Amazonian Communities, 3 credits), fall 2015. A concentrated-related course taken oversees (Bolivia) in order to construct an understanding of the complex psychology and socio-politics of community well-being in Bolivia.
- SOAN 349 (Indigenous Peoples: Identities and Politics, 4 credits), fall 2016. Concentration-related course that explores how indigenous identity is defined, constructed, and maintained, and the rights that indigenous people have and claim.
- ENVS 350 (Environmental Theory, 4 credits), spring 2016. Concentration-related course that studies the theoretical assumptions underlying environmental studies, including the nature of environment, environmental knowledge, and environmental problems and solutions.
Arts and humanities courses
- PHIL 215 (Philosophy and the Environment, 4 credits). Pre-approved A&H course; no justification required.
- HIST 142 (Modern Latin American History, 4 credits). Concentration-related course that explores my concentrations' situated context through historical analysis of the roots of contemporary society, politics, and culture. This class will provide a good historical foundation for my situated context, the Andes, and further prepare me for my semester oversees.