Ecologizing Romanticism
The Eco-Spirituality of Urban Middle-Class Swedes
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12901080 |
|---|---|
| Authors | David Thurfjell (0000-0002-6976-8435, Södertörn University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 19 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 366-383 |
| Publication date | 2025-03-19 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal for the Study of Religion Nature and Culture (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1749-4907 • E-ISSN: 1749-4915 |
| Publisher | Equinox Publishing (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1558/jsrnc.26340 |
| OpenAlex | W4408626545 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
Combining ethnographic research conducted between 2017 and 2021 with historical analysis I explore how the notions of ecologization and romanticization can illuminate the nature practices of Swedish, urban, middle-class, nature enthusiasts. I argue such individuals speak of and relate to nature in ways that echo a romantic heritage characterized by nostalgia and longing for a nature perceived as beautiful, in contrast to everyday urban life. This imagery is reminiscent of Romanticism but I also see it as an expression of ecologization, since it contains a critique of anthropocentrism and an engagement with environmental care. The combination of individualistic and aesthetic appreciation of nature and ecological awareness expressed by my interlocutors, I conclude, represents a continuation of this historical legacy and demonstrates that Romanticism remains relevant as an analytical concept, and should not be seen as opposed to ecologization, but as a key aspect of it
Art · Art history · Astrobiology · Biology · Romanticism · Ecocriticism and Environmental Literature · Philosophy · Travel Writing and Literature
| Unique citing works | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Citation velocity | current |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 1 |