That We May Live Well Together in the Land…: Place Pluralism and Just Sustainability in Canadian and Environmental Studies
The authors propose place pluralism as common ground for Canadian studies and environmental studies. In doing so, they draw on John Ralston Saul, Charles Taylor, work on environmental justice in Canada, and articulations of social inclusion. Research using the multi-faceted notion of place has been a key contribution of both fields. Canada is a network of places in which social and ecological plurality combine in diverse ways; Canada is a multi-placed mosaic. Ultimately, place pluralism relies on the twin processes of decolonization and reinhabitation. Saul recently described Canada as “a métis civilization” claiming that an Aboriginal mindset underlies Canadian sociality. Taylor articulates a moral ontology situated in social relationality that leads towards a deep pluralism. The authors extend these approaches to articulate a joined-up praxis that includes both social and environmental features. Finally, drawing on Taylor’s explication of strong evaluation, the authors argue that place pluralism forms a basis for Canadian-styled just sustainability consistent with the pressing needs of the twenty-first century.
Haluza-Delay, R., DeMoor, M., and Peet, C. (2013). That We May Live Well Together in the Land…: Place Pluralism and Just Sustainability in Canadian and Environmental Studies. Journal of Canadian Studies, 47 (3), pp. 226-256.
