Affinity Groups

To facilitate dialogue and spark collaboration, our community meets in smaller teams whose work centers on a particular cluster of interrelated issues. We call these “affinity groups,” drawing inspiration from previous generations of activists and scholars who united for dialogue around common questions and values. 

Religion, Society, and Public Life

This affinity group serves as a collaborative space for thinking critically about how religion (traditions, ethics, identities) shapes societal approaches to environmental sustainability. 

Our conversations grapple with the movement of knowledge and practices between religious and ‘non-religious’ spaces. By examining the interplay between religion/theology, technology, and political life, the group seeks to open spaces for innovative, ethical approaches to ecological crises. 

A central goal is to develop courses and classroom materials that prepare humanities undergraduates to engage in sustainability-focused roles in the public and private sectors. These opportunities will emphasize practical applications of ethical and religious thought in technological innovation and policy-making. We also seek to write for, and teach in, public-facing forums that enable the insights of religious traditions and communities–and the scholars who study them–to shape policy and regulation.

Key Topics:

  • Ethical implications of technology for ecosystems and communities.

  • The role of religious and philosophical traditions in shaping public discourse on sustainability.

  • Preserving and applying traditional ecological knowledge in modern contexts.

  • Addressing climate misinformation in public life.

Problems Addressed:

  • Overexploitation of natural resources by unregulated technological systems.

  • Misinformation and polarization undermining public sustainability efforts.

  • The environmental impact, positive and negative, of AI and other emergent technologies.

  • Neglect of community-driven solutions in favor of top-down technological fixes.

Life, Land, and Kinship in the More-than-Human-World(s) 

This group focuses on rethinking human relationships with the more-than-human world by engaging with religious thought and practice related to ethical kinship and biodiversity conservation. Drawing on traditions that honor land and non-human entities as living participants in shared ecosystems, the group examines ways to foster sustainable coexistence and ecological justice.

A key objective is to develop frameworks for students, both undergraduate and graduate, to engage with Indigenous communities, conservation organizations, and to develop legal frameworks advocating for the rights of nature. These experiences will empower students to apply ethical insights in ecological restoration and advocacy efforts.

Key Topics:

  • Legal and philosophical perspectives on the rights of nature.

  • Ethical and spiritual kinship models and relational ontologies.

  • Indigenous land stewardship and biodiversity conservation.

  • Integrating human-non-human relations into ecological justice frameworks.

  • Exploring affect in relation to the land

  • Humanities scholars as collaborators, translators, and co-authors with scientists

Problems Addressed:

  • Habitat destruction and biodiversity loss due to industrial expansion.

  • Injustice toward Indigenous communities and their ecological knowledge systems.

  • Rights of nature, and lack of legal protections for ecosystems and non-human entities.

  • Eco-grief, eco-anxiety.

Reimagining Religion and Ecology with Ancient Mysticisms

This group delves into the transformative insights of ancient mystical traditions, exploring their potential to inspire ecological imagination and sustainable living. By focusing on themes of consciousness, interconnectedness, and spiritual creativity, the group aims to revitalize ecological ethics and cultural approaches to sustainability. The group explores how spiritual and contemplative practices can contribute to the good work of ecological restoration, and how such knowledge, techniques, and rituals could find a place in environmental education. 

Key Topics:

  • The role of consciousness and spiritual imagination in ecological ethics.

  • Mystical traditions as a source of ecological wisdom and sustainability practices.

  • Psychological and cultural impacts of environmental change.

  • Spirituality, contemplation, and the pursuit of sensitive, sustainable, and meaningful lives.

Problems Addressed:

  • Cultural alienation from natural systems and ecological interdependence.

  • Psychological distress caused by climate change, including eco-anxiety.

  • Overemphasis on materialism and economic growth at the expense of ecological balance.