Introduction to relational ethnoecology: A craft-based approach (FNP33312) 

WUR BSc course, fulltime entire period 1

Content

Ethnoecology is the cross-cultural study of how people interact with their environment. Relational ethnoecology places this in the context of the Anthropocene and its multiple environmental crises, and considers how relational human-environment interactions may inform pathways towards environmental sustainability in Western societies. This introduction to relational ethnoecology adopts a craft-based approach. Physically engaging with natural materials such as wood, bark and wool, you will practice various crafts as a foundation for academic exploration and scholarship. Each regular course week revolves around the crafting of a specific object. This object, in turn, forms the entry point for exploring craftwork through various social scientific disciplines, such as the social, political, anthropological, philosophical and/or historical. For instance, while working on a wooden kuksa (a traditional bowl), intellectually we may contrast this embodied craftwork with contemporary industrialized modes of production, for instance by drawing on the work of Marx and his concept of ‘alienated labour’. In this way, craftwork may be explored as a social criticism of modernising (industrialising, digitalising, urbanising and environmentally-destructing) Western societies. Along the pathways of six tangible objects, you will thus also be studying various dimensions of human-nature relationships, as well as connections to environmental sustainability (transitions).

Craftwork with natural materials forms one of various possible entry points to engage human-environment relationships. Other examples include bird watching, walking, expeditions, participatory ecological restoration, forest bathing, sit spots, or ecological monitoring. Depending on how they are engaged by groups or individuals, these can be more or less relational. To appraise the potential values and limitations of craftwork as a specific form of human-environment interaction with capacity for environmental sustainability transition, and to add a complementary dimension to the place-based nature of craftwork, you will be undertaking away-from-home-work, that is: relational, embodied-academic explorations of nearby green environments. Through various individual assignments you will again be exploring social, political, anthropological, philosophical and/or historical dimensions of human-nature relationships, as well as connections to environmental sustainability.

 

Registration procedure

Due to the character of this course, a maximum number of 45 students applies. The WUR course handbook only allows for a general pre-defined text for courses with a maximum available places, so here follows some further explanation. This is a BSc level course, and both BSc and MSc students can partake in it.

The procedure regarding registration is as follows:

  1. You can pre-register for the course in Osiris between the June 1st 2026 and July 25th 2026. Note that this pre-registration deadline is one week earlier than the deadline for courses with no maximum available places. 
  2. Places will be distributed based on the time order of registration ('first come first serve'). So it does not matter from which WUR BSc/MSc programme you come in. 
  3. Very soon after the pre-registration deadline you will receive an email from me about the outcome of the registration procedure. Unsuccessful applicants will thus still have a little bit less than a week’s time to register for a different course in period 1 without a maximum. In other words: there is no 'risk' involved in pre-registering for this course. 
  4. Following the selection procedure, a reserve list will also be created in case of drop-outs; this reserve list will be communicated at the same time as the outcome of the selection procedure.
  5. Successful applicants need take no further action for definitive enrolment after pre-registration; this will be done by our group secretary and me. 

 

If you have further questions you can get in touch via koen[dot]arts[at]WUR[dot]nl

Hopefully I will see you in the course!

Koen