Reviving natural history, building ecological civilisation: the philosophy and social significance of the Natural History Revival Movement in contemporary China
Abstract The concept of ecological civilisation has become enshrined in the Chinese constitution as a blueprint for sustainable development based on a changed relationship with nature. Achieving the ecological civilisation, however, is no easy task. True to its socialist one-party system and scienti...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Springer Nature
2023-07-01
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| Series: | Humanities & Social Sciences Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-01889-3 |
| _version_ | 1797784691757023232 |
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| author | Siyu Fu Kristian H. Nielsen |
| author_facet | Siyu Fu Kristian H. Nielsen |
| author_sort | Siyu Fu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The concept of ecological civilisation has become enshrined in the Chinese constitution as a blueprint for sustainable development based on a changed relationship with nature. Achieving the ecological civilisation, however, is no easy task. True to its socialist one-party system and scientific outlook on development, the Chinese government continues to place emphasis on authoritarian governance and science-based innovation. Alternative approaches to ecological civilisation have received less attention. In this paper, we seek to understand the philosophical and social perspectives offered by the Natural History Revival Movement (NHRM) regarding China’s path to an ecological civilisation. Based on sources collected by means of snowball sampling, we perform a hermeneutic analysis of the NHRM and its meanings. As a philosophy, the NHRM draws on inspiration from a variety of sources, most of which are European. The NHRM, functioning as a social movement, encompasses the growing enthusiasm within Chinese society for naturalist studies and environmental monitoring, rooted in distinct Chinese origins. Examining the NHRM provides a glimpse into different sociotechnical imaginaries in China, aligning with the government’s ecological-civilisation vision yet questioning the methods employed to attain the objective. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T00:43:31Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-546e803824794b139426274964ea0636 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2662-9992 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T00:43:31Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | Springer Nature |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Humanities & Social Sciences Communications |
| spelling | doaj.art-546e803824794b139426274964ea06362023-07-09T11:09:03ZengSpringer NatureHumanities & Social Sciences Communications2662-99922023-07-0110111110.1057/s41599-023-01889-3Reviving natural history, building ecological civilisation: the philosophy and social significance of the Natural History Revival Movement in contemporary ChinaSiyu Fu0Kristian H. Nielsen1Department of Mathematics, Centre for Science Studies, Aarhus UniversityDepartment of Mathematics, Centre for Science Studies, Aarhus UniversityAbstract The concept of ecological civilisation has become enshrined in the Chinese constitution as a blueprint for sustainable development based on a changed relationship with nature. Achieving the ecological civilisation, however, is no easy task. True to its socialist one-party system and scientific outlook on development, the Chinese government continues to place emphasis on authoritarian governance and science-based innovation. Alternative approaches to ecological civilisation have received less attention. In this paper, we seek to understand the philosophical and social perspectives offered by the Natural History Revival Movement (NHRM) regarding China’s path to an ecological civilisation. Based on sources collected by means of snowball sampling, we perform a hermeneutic analysis of the NHRM and its meanings. As a philosophy, the NHRM draws on inspiration from a variety of sources, most of which are European. The NHRM, functioning as a social movement, encompasses the growing enthusiasm within Chinese society for naturalist studies and environmental monitoring, rooted in distinct Chinese origins. Examining the NHRM provides a glimpse into different sociotechnical imaginaries in China, aligning with the government’s ecological-civilisation vision yet questioning the methods employed to attain the objective.https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-01889-3 |
| spellingShingle | Siyu Fu Kristian H. Nielsen Reviving natural history, building ecological civilisation: the philosophy and social significance of the Natural History Revival Movement in contemporary China Humanities & Social Sciences Communications |
| title | Reviving natural history, building ecological civilisation: the philosophy and social significance of the Natural History Revival Movement in contemporary China |
| title_full | Reviving natural history, building ecological civilisation: the philosophy and social significance of the Natural History Revival Movement in contemporary China |
| title_fullStr | Reviving natural history, building ecological civilisation: the philosophy and social significance of the Natural History Revival Movement in contemporary China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Reviving natural history, building ecological civilisation: the philosophy and social significance of the Natural History Revival Movement in contemporary China |
| title_short | Reviving natural history, building ecological civilisation: the philosophy and social significance of the Natural History Revival Movement in contemporary China |
| title_sort | reviving natural history building ecological civilisation the philosophy and social significance of the natural history revival movement in contemporary china |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1057/s41599-023-01889-3 |
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