natureculture

Natureculture is a term used in environmental humanities, social theory, and science and technology studies to describe the inseparability of natural and cultural processes. It challenges the traditional dualism that places nature and culture in opposing domains, arguing instead that what counts as “nature” is always shaped by human values, technologies, institutions, and practices, and that cultures are always embedded in and altered by the natural world. In this view, beings, ecosystems, and technologies form networks in which humans and nonhumans are co-constructors of outcomes.

Origins and influences: The phrase appears in discussions across feminist science studies, posthumanism, and actor-network theory. Notable figures associated with the related idea of naturecultures include Donna Haraway, who emphasizes relationality and the histories of interactions among humans and other organisms, and Bruno Latour, whose network approach treats both human and nonhuman actors as part of social assemblages. Multispecies ethnography and vibrant-materialist perspectives also contribute to the emergence of natureculture as a methodological and normative frame.

Applications: The concept is used to analyze climate change, urbanization, agriculture, biotechnology, conservation, and environmental policy by foregrounding how knowledge, power, and material processes co-create ecological conditions. It supports approaches such as engaged scholarship, participatory governance, and multispecies methods that consider ethical obligations to nonhuman beings as part of political and social life.

Critiques and scope: Some critics warn that the term can be vague or relativist if not carefully specified. Proponents respond that natureculture offers a practical vocabulary for addressing environmental justice, stewardship, and responsibility in a world where human and nonhuman lives are entangled. It remains a broad, evolving family of approaches rather than a single theory.