{"title":"Voicing relationality: the nature connectedness of young Finnish adults in the promotion of sustainability","authors":"Tuula Helne","doi":"10.1080/15487733.2022.2097507","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"Abstract The contemporary planetary multi-crisis can arguably be attributed to the failure of humans’ relationship with nature. Reconnecting humans with nature is therefore a crucial lever for the sustainability transformation and to achieve the long-term well-being of both humans and nature. While nature connectedness (NC) has been studied quantitatively using various measures and scales, there is a need to complement this work with qualitative research that broadens and deepens the understanding of this phenomenon. This article is a qualitative inquiry into NC among 29 unemployed young adults (aged 20–29) in Finland. The data were collected in group interviews and it is noteworthy that the respondents lived in cities, since urbanites are often represented as disconnected from nature. The participants’ discourse on nature is analyzed with the help of a typology of NC constructed on the basis on three NC typologies found in recent research. NC’s linkage to a relational, multi-dimensional, and need-based conceptualization of well-being is also discussed, as is whether NC should be conceived of as a separate need category. All six dimensions of the typology of NC used in the analysis (material, cognitive, experiential, sensual/emotional, philosophical/spiritual, and compassion, care and commitment) could be detected in the respondents’ accounts. The article closes with a discussion of the implications of such manifestations of NC for promoting sustainability.","PeriodicalId":35192,"journal":{"name":"Sustainability: Science, Practice, and Policy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":3.6000,"publicationDate":"2022-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"2","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Sustainability: Science, Practice, and Policy","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1080/15487733.2022.2097507","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 2
Abstract
Abstract The contemporary planetary multi-crisis can arguably be attributed to the failure of humans’ relationship with nature. Reconnecting humans with nature is therefore a crucial lever for the sustainability transformation and to achieve the long-term well-being of both humans and nature. While nature connectedness (NC) has been studied quantitatively using various measures and scales, there is a need to complement this work with qualitative research that broadens and deepens the understanding of this phenomenon. This article is a qualitative inquiry into NC among 29 unemployed young adults (aged 20–29) in Finland. The data were collected in group interviews and it is noteworthy that the respondents lived in cities, since urbanites are often represented as disconnected from nature. The participants’ discourse on nature is analyzed with the help of a typology of NC constructed on the basis on three NC typologies found in recent research. NC’s linkage to a relational, multi-dimensional, and need-based conceptualization of well-being is also discussed, as is whether NC should be conceived of as a separate need category. All six dimensions of the typology of NC used in the analysis (material, cognitive, experiential, sensual/emotional, philosophical/spiritual, and compassion, care and commitment) could be detected in the respondents’ accounts. The article closes with a discussion of the implications of such manifestations of NC for promoting sustainability.
期刊介绍:
Sustainability: Science, Practice and Policy is a refereed, open-access journal which recognizes that climate change and other socio-environmental challenges require significant transformation of existing systems of consumption and production. Complex and diverse arrays of societal factors and institutions will in coming decades need to reconfigure agro-food systems, implement renewable energy sources, and reinvent housing, modes of mobility, and lifestyles for the current century and beyond. These innovations will need to be formulated in ways that enhance global equity, reduce unequal access to resources, and enable all people on the planet to lead flourishing lives within biophysical constraints. The journal seeks to advance scientific and political perspectives and to cultivate transdisciplinary discussions involving researchers, policy makers, civic entrepreneurs, and others. The ultimate objective is to encourage the design and deployment of both local experiments and system innovations that contribute to a more sustainable future by empowering individuals and organizations and facilitating processes of social learning.