Contesting Extinctions: Decolonial and Regenerative Futures critically interrogates the discursive framing of extinctions and how they relate to the systems that bring about biocultural loss. The chapters in this multidisciplinary volume examine approaches to ecological and social extinction and resurgence from a variety of fields, including environmental studies, literary studies, political science, and philosophy. Grounding their scholarship in decolonial, Indigenous, and counter-hegemonic frameworks, the contributors advocate for shifting the discursive focus from ruin to regeneration.

"A distinguished geologist and a popular science writer Charles Frankel turns his attention in his latest book to the mass extinctions on our planet, considering what the past can tell us about the future. Explaining Earth's past mass extinctions, Frankel suggests that, each time, a decrease in biodiversity created fragile conditions that eventuated into widespread and cataclysmic disappearances. The rise of mammals led to the rise of humans, who, over the past 200,000 years, have become their own geological force, forever affecting the bio-environment, from the massacre of megafauna in the Ice Age to the impoverishment of soils and pollution of waterways and air, to the unwitting transfer of invasive species from one part of the globe to another. After a compelling account of the latest research, Frankel ends with speculations on planetary peril and whether the widespread extinctions, climate change, and loss of biodiversity that we are currently experiencing can be slowed or even reversed. His answer inspires hope and urgency. If humans can redirect and curb some of our basic behaviors (like the obsession to kill and consume other species), we might stand a chance. Still, he eloquently explains that, even if we succeed in this, our way of life and even some of our ways of being human will be transformed forever. As extinction repeatedly shows those who survive, life is not eternal"--

This volume analyses Bangladesh’s human-nature/environment relationships in terms of development victimhood, environmental injustices, and resistance of the marginalized. It demonstrates how the popular GDP-based economic growth model helps governments undertake “development” projects, threatening the environment and livelihood of the poor while benefiting the affluent. It represents the extant environmentalism in the literary works in Bangla, and tales of pollution, depletion; and human-nature/environment symbiosis that shows ways to resist victimhood. Against current environmental challenges and other environmental issues, this volume presents the epitome of how politics, biodiversity, and technology meet in many cross-cutting pathways.

Anticipatory Environmental (Hi)Stories from Antiquity to the Anthropocene studies the interplay of environmental perception and the way societies throughout history have imagined the future state of “nature” and the environments in which coming generations would live. What sorts of knowledge were and are involved in outlining future environments? What kinds of texts and narrative strategies were and are developed and modified over time? How did and do scenarios and narratives of the past shape (hi)stories of the future? This book answers these questions from a diachronic as well as a cross-cultural perspective. By looking at a diverse range of historical evidence that transcends stereotypical utopian and dystopian visions and allows for nuanced insights beyond the dichotomous reservoir of pastoral motifs and apocalyptic narratives, the contributors illustrate the multifaceted character of environmental anticipation across the ages.

In Earth Polyphony, Suhasini Vincent analyzes the theory of ecocriticism in its entirety, and its existence in the global paradigm of climate change. Vincent shows how a polyphony of voices can affect law and decision making in the era of the Anthropocene, and aptly shows how voices can coexist as in Bakhtinian polyphony where multiple perspectives coexist despite contradictions and differences. Vincent argues that both material and non-material worlds are endowed with storied forms of knowledge that prompt ecocritical writers to engage in new experimental modes of expression. She explores the ‘material turn’, the ‘animal turn’ and the ‘narrative turn’ to highlight how law meets literature, prompts eco-activism, and how these crisscrossing narratives influence each other to spark judicial activism in forums around the planet.

Humanity is struggling with the environmental destruction and social change caused by modern technologies like nuclear reactors. Politicians, scientists, and business leaders all too often revert to a tried and tested set of solutions that fails to grasp the wicked nature of the problem. Eschewing the problem-solving approach that dominates the nuclear energy debate, Anna Volkmar suggests that the only intelligent way to account for the inherent complexity of nuclear technology is not by trying to resolve it but to muddle through it. Through in-depth analyses of contemporary visual art, Volkmar demonstrates how art can suggest ways to muddle through these issues intelligently and ethically. This book is recommended for students and scholars of art history, anthropology, social science, ecocriticism, and philosophy.

Sustainable Energy Development: Technology and Investment provides deeper insights into the connected realms of sustainable energy, economic growth, and political discourse, emphasizing the pivotal role of innovation, investment, and technology. This edited collection delves into the burgeoning intersection of capitalism and environmentalism, examining initiatives such as climate-conscious investment and the development of green technology. Climate change poses threats to human well-being, including complex ecosystems, global food security, and the pursuit of sustainable pathways. Historical temperature records serve as compelling evidence of climate change, illustrating global temperature increases across various countries and territories. The book offers profound insights into sustainable energy development, technology, and investment in climate-oriented solutions, elucidating both the opportunities and challenges of climate-aligned investment strategies.