Turning to Earth: Stories of Ecological Conversion

Turning to Earth offers a window into the heart of environmental change, moving beyond the culture’s traditional reliance on policy reforms and technological measures. It charts the course of "ecological conversion," a dynamic inner process by which people come to ally themselves with the natural world and speak out on its behalf. Stories by ecological converts illuminate a critical realm long neglected by environmental scholars and activists—how the terrain of spirit, psyche, and conscience shape our commitment to Earth.

Marina Schauffler’s engaging exploration of "inner ecology" deftly weaves together numerous autobiographical accounts with insights from the fields of ecocriticism, ecopsychology, environmental philosophy, and environmental education. An opening portrait of the writer and activist Terry Tempest Williams traces her deepening devotion to Earth. Each subsequent chapter explores a key element of ecological conversion, drawing primarily on the personal testimony of Williams and five other pioneering writers: Rachel Carson, Alice Walker, Edward Abbey, Scott Russell Sanders, and N. Scott Momaday.

Turning to Earth extends the parameters of contemporary environmental discussion by illustrating how substantive change hinges not just on political and institutional reforms but also on profound inner transformation. The compelling life narratives of ecological converts provide inspiration and direction for the growing number of activists, educators, scholars, and citizens committed to changing the world from the inside out.

University of Virginia Press

Schauffler, who holds a PhD in ethics from the U. of New Hampshire, has written a thought-provoking work on a new understanding of humans' place in nature, which, she believes, could lead society to achieve a way of living that no longer hurts the environment. Following a description of this spiritual state—the attainment of which she calls "ecological conversion"—Schauffler discusses, in positive terms, the relationship with nature evinced by the writers Edward Abbey, Rachel Carson, N. Scott Momaday, Scott Russell Sanders, Alice Walker, and Terry Tempest Williams. Annotation ©2003 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

F. Marina Schauffler holds a doctorate from the University of New Hampshire and is a writer, editor, and educator who lives along the coast of Maine.