A historical and systematic survey of European perceptions of wilderness

This paper develops a historical and systematic typology of perceptions of wilderness that exist in contemporary western European cultures. After describing notions of wilderness associated with worldviews that emerged during the Enlightenment period (theological, early Enlightenment, liberalism, de...

Ausführliche Beschreibung

Gespeichert in:
Bibliographische Detailangaben
Hauptverfasser: Kirchhoff, Thomas (VerfasserIn) , Vicenzotti, Vera (VerfasserIn)
Dokumenttyp: Article (Journal)
Sprache:Englisch
Veröffentlicht: August 1, 2014
In: Environmental values
Year: 2014, Jahrgang: 23, Heft: 4, Pages: 443-464
ISSN:1752-7015
DOI:10.3197/096327114X13947900181590
Online-Zugang:Verlag, lizenzpflichtig, Volltext: https://doi.org/10.3197/096327114X13947900181590
Volltext
Verfasserangaben:Thomas Kirchhoff, Vera Vicenzotti
Beschreibung
Zusammenfassung:This paper develops a historical and systematic typology of perceptions of wilderness that exist in contemporary western European cultures. After describing notions of wilderness associated with worldviews that emerged during the Enlightenment period (theological, early Enlightenment, liberalism, democratism) and as a critical response to it (Rousseauism, early Romanticism, English and German conservatism), we outline four recent transformations of these traditional notions of wilderness: wilderness as an ecological object, as a place of nature's self-reassertion, as a place of thrill and as a sphere of amorality and meaninglessness. In our conclusion, we suggest what practical relevance arises from such a nuanced understanding of the inherently ambiguous concept of wilderness.
Beschreibung:Gesehen am 25.01.2021
Beschreibung:Online Resource
ISSN:1752-7015
DOI:10.3197/096327114X13947900181590