Reimagining rewilding: A response to Jørgensen, Prior, and Ward. (November 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cloyd, Aaron A.
• Is Part Of: Geoforum. Volume 76(2016)
• Page Start: 59
• Page End: 62
• Publication Date: 2016-11
• Subjects: Rewilding -- Dolly Jørgensen -- Apostle Islands -- Fictional writings; Geography -- Periodicals; Human geography -- Periodicals; Regional planning -- Periodicals; Sciences de la terre -- Périodiques; Géographie -- Périodiques; Géographie humaine -- Périodiques; Aménagement du territoire -- Périodiques; Earth sciences; Geography; Human geography; Regional planning; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 304.205
• DOI: 10.1016/j.geoforum.2016.08.013
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0016-7185

Abstract

Highlights: Jørgensen's, Prior's, and Ward's rewilding conversation is continued and expanded. Feldman's work expands a focus on European geographies. Two fictional works expand research to include the humanities. Empathy is given as a reason to include imaginary writings in rewilding debates. Abstract: This article continues and expands the conversation initiated by Jørgensen on the need to rethink rewilding, which elicited a response from Prior and Ward. To spur further conversation, my response to both papers argues for two modes of discourse expansion: geographical and disciplinary. Although both articles gesture toward global rewilding sites, their discussions remain focused on European geographies. I offer James Feldman's environmental history of the Apostle Islands to extend a geographical purview beyond European contexts. Secondly, I take up these papers' implicit call for humanities scholars to join this conversation, and I argue for the relevance and importance of fictional writings to a debate regarding rewilding. I briefly introduce two recent fictional works and argue for their place in rewilding conversations based on the ability of imaginary writings to develop empathy.