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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. Using relational ethnoecology as an overarching framework, the course zooms in on basic skills used in natural and outdoor settings. Key to the definition of ‘basic skills’ are situations in which the use of technique – as opposed to technology – in natural environments is optimized.

Didactically, the course combines theory and practice through relational learning. This means that not just cognitive but also physical and emotional faculties are addressed. Practical, hands-on experiences are used to support theoretical understanding, and vice versa. In other words, in this course students will not just be learning about, but thinking and feeling with and learning through basic skills.

Studies of various local-resource dependent peoples around the world will be used to examine historical and contemporary forms of nature skills, including how these skills are embedded in daily practices, cultural expressions or belief systems. Linkages between basic skill and environmental sustainability will also be explored.

Thematically, skills relating to the following topics will be studied:

1. Fire;
2. Food and water;
3. Clothing and shelter;
4. Tracking;
5. Natural navigation and journeying.

In addition to developing practical skills relating to each of these topics, the following academic questions will be engaged:

• What does the practicing of the skill say about human-nature relationships on an individual and social level?
• How did the skill develop in the context of human evolution?
• How is the skill performed and embedded into the daily practices, cultural expressions or belief systems of various local resource dependent peoples around the world, in historical or contemporary contexts?
• Can linkages between the skill and environmental sustainability be made and if so, how can these be appraised?

The relational learning approach in which theory and practice are combined, may lead to a suite of theoretical and practical gains for participating students in their further studies and careers,  including: increased confidence to spend time in nature as well as an increased ability to deal with potential outdoor survival situations; a ‘wholesome’, more holistic and de-romanticized understanding of nature; a deconstruction of the basic human-nature divide that often underpins the destruction of nature; an increased ability to accommodate multiple ontologies; and reflection on biased or extractivist engagement with local resource-dependent communities in different parts the world. Importantly, a re-valuation of the importance of basic skill and associated traditions in the context of contemporary environmental crises may also unfold.  

 

The structure of the course is divided in two main parts. Part 1 (first 4 weeks), skill topics 1 to 4 will be engaged. Part 2 (weeks 5-8) revolves around natural navigation and journeying. Moreover, in this second part, a ‘design’ approach is adopted in which students learn – through a joint practical process of planning, executing and evaluating – to lead outdoor relational learning activities which are connected to analytical objectives and scientific literatures around transforming human-outdoor relationships. Here, we work with the idea of a ‘living syllabus’. While the lecturers/tutors offer a general frame for activities in this course, such as some booked travel means and some campsite reservations, the central idea is that students – in small teams – fill in the specifics of the programme and thus take up a lot of responsibility for the content of and dynamics in this course.

The concept of ‘the journey’, in the context of anthropology of outdoor skill, plays out in different ways. First, there is an intellectual journey of the student through various literatures and theories around outdoor journeys. Knowledge on the human evolutionary journey, and how it feeds into present-day human-nature relationships, will also be reproduced and reflected upon.

Second, there will be one smaller (3 day) and one big (9 day) physical journey through (partly remote) landscapes in which small teams of students are relying more on the use of technique, knowledge, resourcefulness and human-powered means of travelling, than on technology.

Third, there will an internal journey of the student connected to the intellectual and physical journeys. This will relate to internal (personal) and external (communal) ‘leadership’ and reflections on human-nature relationships from a personal to a society level. These reflections in turn will feed into a possible journey from being a student, to becoming a change maker; a protagonist in trying to effect transformational environmental change.

 

 

Important points to consider before pre-registering

• The practical parts of this course relate by no means to ‘survival’ activities. However, to participate in the outdoor activities, there is a certain degree of physical fitness required, as well as a willingness and preparedness to cope with basic conditions (e.g. lack of facilities) in the outdoors, and to cope with any challenges that may come with being and travelling outdoors (e.g. adverse weather, broken sleep, physical tiredness). A willingness and preparedness to cope with the social dimensions of intense team work and team interaction in possibly challenging outdoor conditions is also a must. Contact Koen as soon as possible if you have medical and/or psychological and/or physical challenges that may affect your participation in this course. Also contact Koen if you are not able or willing to accept inherent risks involved in the associated outdoor activities.
• The second half of this course works from the idea of a ‘living syllabus’. While the lecturers/tutors offer a general frame for activities in this course, such as some booked travel means and some campsite reservations, the central idea is that students – in small teams – fill in the specifics of the programme and thus take up a lot of responsibility for the content of, and dynamics in, this course.
• Being able to swim (equivalent to Dutch diploma’s A-C) is a requirement for the use of a canoe. Contact Koen if you are not able to swim accomplishedly.
• During the various field trips, students are required to arrange their own food (partly also as a group). Food costs will be fairly similar to food costs during ‘regular’ study days at university, but it needs careful planning/preparation. During the course, we will spend some time discussing what kind of food to buy/prepare. For the students’ own contribution, the WUR suggests to calculate with 15 euro per person per day x 15 field trip days in this course = 225 euros, but this could be less depending on your choices (partly as a collective).
• Solid outdoor and camping clothing and equipment are required. The most costly items include (but the equipment is not limited to): a tent, or tarp, bivvy bag or hammock; a portable sleeping mattress; a warm sleeping bag or blanket; rain clothes; a large backpack with rain cover; hiking boots.
• A valid international travel document is required for the journey to Sweden (and through Germany and Denmark).

 

 

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 MSc level course, and BSc students cannot partake in it (see also the course code that starts with a 4).

The procedure regarding registration is as follows:

1. You can pre-register for the course in Osiris between the June 1st 2025 and March 29^th 2026. Note that this pre-registration deadline is one week earlier than the deadline for courses with no maximum available places. 
2. Because the course is a restricted optional in the MFN specialization A 'Society and Policy', these students receive priority when pre-registering in the above mentioned time period.
3. Apart from the group with the above-mentioned priority, places will be distributed based on the time order of registration ('first come first serve'). So it does not matter from which WUR MSc programme you come in. 
4. 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 6 without a maximum. In other words: there is no 'risk' involved in pre-registering for this course. 
5. 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.
6. Successful applicants need take no further action for definitive enrolment after pre-registration; this will be done by our group secretary and me. 
7. If you know already that you are not wanting to participate in the course after all, it will be a big help to other students if you de-register from Osiris before the pre-registration deadline.

 

 

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