EcocriticismA theoretical biosphere

Résumé

This essay reflects on the changing trend of Ecocriticism from a certain phobia towards theory to an exponential growth of theoretical approaches. Ecocriticism’s initial rejection of the idea that everything was either socially and/or linguistically constructed went against the grain of most literary theories. However, Ecocriticism has proved very diverse and eclectic in combining different approaches and disciplines, offering new readings of literary and cultural texts; moreover, its relevance to our contemporary world and environmental crisis have turned it into a fruitful theoretical biosphere. This trend is illustrated with three discussions of diverse cross-fertilizations: contrasting interpretations of the pastoral mode, the combination of postcolonialism and ecocriticism and, finally, the use of law and philosophy to address issues of environmental justice and ecological justice for the more-than-human world