Rights of Nature as a potential framework for the transformation of modern political communities (Vol.13, N.1)
This article focuses on the present context of the climate and environmental crises and how these fundamentally challenge the inherently anthropocentric norms, conceptions and practices of international politics and IR. I argue that, in order to confront the hegemonic, anthropocentric mode...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa
2022-04-01
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| Series: | Janus.net |
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| Online Access: | https://observare.autonoma.pt/janus-net/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/00EN-vol13-n1-art09.html |
| _version_ | 1811247964951150592 |
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| author | Carlota Houart |
| author_facet | Carlota Houart |
| author_sort | Carlota Houart |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This article focuses on the present context of the climate and environmental crises and how these fundamentally challenge the inherently anthropocentric norms, conceptions and practices of international politics and IR. I argue that, in order to confront the hegemonic, anthropocentric mode of relationship with non-human nature that has led to these crises, alternative frameworks need to be developed that might lead to a gradual transformation of modern political communities. Departing from Critical IR Theory, I suggest that Andrew Linklater’s and Robyn Eckersley’s critiques of Westphalia and proposals for its transformation might be useful to understand how the emergent Rights of Nature movement may promote such transformation. I look at two paradigmatic cases from the Rights of Nature movement – the Whanganui River case in Aotearoa New Zealand, on a local level; and Ecuador’s 2008 Constitution, on a national level – to briefly reflect on the alternative understandings of concepts such as community, subjecthood, agency, voice, rights, participation and representation that they encourage. By expanding these concepts as to include the more-than-human world, these RoN frameworks invite a transformation of modern systems of thought and practice, and – to a certain extent – constitute a potential for the transformation of modern political communities in ways that might enable a better response to the global climate and environmental crises. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T15:18:37Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-96928bafae4246c79c7e79e408923761 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1647-7251 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T15:18:37Z |
| publishDate | 2022-04-01 |
| publisher | Universidade Autónoma de Lisboa |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Janus.net |
| spelling | doaj.art-96928bafae4246c79c7e79e4089237612022-12-22T03:27:33ZengUniversidade Autónoma de LisboaJanus.net1647-72512022-04-01131135151https://doi.org/10.26619/1647-7251.13.1.9Rights of Nature as a potential framework for the transformation of modern political communities (Vol.13, N.1)Carlota Houart0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7428-6852Bachelor’s degree in International Relations and a master’s degree in IR – Peace, Security and Development Studies from the Faculty of Economics of the University of Coimbra. She was a junior researcher at the Centre for Social Studies of the University of Coimbra and is currently a PhD researcher at Wageningen University (Netherlands) as part of the ERC-funded research project “RIVERHOOD – Living Rivers and New Water Justice Movements”. Her current research interests include Critical Political Ecology; Rights of Nature and Multispecies Justice; Critical IR Theory and Post-Anthropocentrism; and Indigenous Ontologies and Knowledge Systems.This article focuses on the present context of the climate and environmental crises and how these fundamentally challenge the inherently anthropocentric norms, conceptions and practices of international politics and IR. I argue that, in order to confront the hegemonic, anthropocentric mode of relationship with non-human nature that has led to these crises, alternative frameworks need to be developed that might lead to a gradual transformation of modern political communities. Departing from Critical IR Theory, I suggest that Andrew Linklater’s and Robyn Eckersley’s critiques of Westphalia and proposals for its transformation might be useful to understand how the emergent Rights of Nature movement may promote such transformation. I look at two paradigmatic cases from the Rights of Nature movement – the Whanganui River case in Aotearoa New Zealand, on a local level; and Ecuador’s 2008 Constitution, on a national level – to briefly reflect on the alternative understandings of concepts such as community, subjecthood, agency, voice, rights, participation and representation that they encourage. By expanding these concepts as to include the more-than-human world, these RoN frameworks invite a transformation of modern systems of thought and practice, and – to a certain extent – constitute a potential for the transformation of modern political communities in ways that might enable a better response to the global climate and environmental crises.https://observare.autonoma.pt/janus-net/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/00EN-vol13-n1-art09.htmlinternational relationspolitical communityrights of naturenon-human beingsclimate crisis |
| spellingShingle | Carlota Houart Rights of Nature as a potential framework for the transformation of modern political communities (Vol.13, N.1) Janus.net international relations political community rights of nature non-human beings climate crisis |
| title | Rights of Nature as a potential framework for the transformation of modern political communities (Vol.13, N.1) |
| title_full | Rights of Nature as a potential framework for the transformation of modern political communities (Vol.13, N.1) |
| title_fullStr | Rights of Nature as a potential framework for the transformation of modern political communities (Vol.13, N.1) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Rights of Nature as a potential framework for the transformation of modern political communities (Vol.13, N.1) |
| title_short | Rights of Nature as a potential framework for the transformation of modern political communities (Vol.13, N.1) |
| title_sort | rights of nature as a potential framework for the transformation of modern political communities vol 13 n 1 |
| topic | international relations political community rights of nature non-human beings climate crisis |
| url | https://observare.autonoma.pt/janus-net/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2022/05/00EN-vol13-n1-art09.html |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT carlotahouart rightsofnatureasapotentialframeworkforthetransformationofmodernpoliticalcommunitiesvol13n1 |