Metanarrative and the Environment

This book explores the necessity of a new metanarrative to effectively tackle environmental crises, emphasizing the limitations of material approaches alone.

In addressing the pressing issue of global environmental degradation, activists have focused on tangible problems like carbon emissions and climate change. These efforts, while crucial, often fall short against the overwhelming forces of modern industrial society. In Metanarrative and the Environment, Stephen James Purdey presents a compelling argument that material approaches alone cannot resolve the environmental crisis. He posits that a new metanarrative is essential for fundamentally altering the ideational landscape of human development.

The book is divided into two parts, with the first establishing the pragmatics of our environmental predicament. Purdey delves into the origins of the crisis and our responses to it, offering insights into the concept and key characteristics of metanarrative. He highlights the dominant narratives that shape our contemporary global mindset, which often hinder effective action against environmental degradation.

In the second part, Purdey addresses the moral dimensions of the environmental challenge, advocating for the evolution of a new metanarrative that emphasizes human agency in the face of adversity. Metanarrative and the Environment is a multidisciplinary work that draws on the creative humanities, appealing to both undergraduate and graduate students, as well as environmental activists and scholars seeking innovative pathways to address ecological issues.