Human-nature resonance in times of social-ecological crisis - a relational account for sustainability transformation

Despite increasing efforts by research and policy to approach sustainability, human impact on nonhuman nature is intensifying the current social-ecological crisis. To foster sustainability transformation, there is a need to re-think qualities of human-nature connections which calls for relational discourses that provide alternatives to the predominance of mindsets postulating a human-nature divide. Against this backdrop, this conceptual paper introduces 'human-nature resonance' as a relational account that provides system, target, and transformation knowledge for sustainability transformation. The paper argues that the social-ecological crisis has one of its root causes in mute human-nature relations. On this basis, it is illustrated how the social-ecological crisis is only slightly affecting the behaviours of Western societies, which are subsequently failing to establish responsive human-nature relations. Considering that mute relations are fostered by making the world constantly available, the non-affective human-nature relation can be traced back to a lack of material and moral boundaries of nonhuman nature perceived as a lifeless object of infinite availability. For strengthening human-nature resonance, the paper calls for the vision of human-nature partnership neglecting hierarchical human-nature relations. To strengthen the human-nature partnership, nature will speak with an own voice by assigning her legal personhood, agency, and soulfulness. Furthermore, human self-efficacy needs to be strengthened to listen to nature by nourishing internal relational capacities such as compassion and self-worth. Future work on human-nature resonance can integrate basic and applied inter- and transdisciplinary research which links natural and social sciences, Western and Indigenous ontologies, and the scientific world of logos and transcendental wisdom.

Automated summary

Despite efforts towards sustainability, human impact on nonhuman nature is worsening the social-ecological crisis. This paper introduces the concept of 'human-nature resonance' as a way of fostering sustainability transformation and addressing mute human-nature relations. It argues that Western societies are failing to establish responsive human-nature relations due to a lack of material and moral boundaries, and proposes a vision of human-nature partnership to strengthen this connection. The paper suggests assigning legal personhood, agency, and soulfulness to nature, as well as nurturing internal relational capacities in humans, to strengthen human-nature resonance.