Short Communication - (2025) Volume 16, Issue 5
Received: 01-Sep-2025, Manuscript No. assj-25-174795;
Editor assigned: 03-Sep-2025, Pre QC No. P-174795;
Reviewed: 17-Sep-2025, QC No. Q-174795;
Revised: 22-Sep-2025, Manuscript No. R-174795;
Published:
29-Sep-2025
, DOI: 10.37421/2151-6200.2025.16.689
Citation: Izumi, Sota. ”Storytelling, Humanities: Reimagining Our Ecological World.” Arts Social Sci J 16 (2025):689
Copyright: © 2025 Izumi S. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited
This collection of articles explores the multifaceted roles of environmental humanities, diverse narrative strategies, and interdisciplinary communication in confronting global ecological crises. The introductory piece sets the stage for a special issue, emphasizing the reimagining of the world from marginalized perspectives and contested zones, highlighting the critical importance of diverse voices and interdisciplinary approaches to address environmental challenges beyond traditional frameworks, particularly incorporating global South perspectives and Indigenous knowledge [1].
Furthering this, an article utilizes multimodal discourse analysis to examine how environmental narratives shape public understanding and engagement with climate change, specifically in educational contexts. It explores the interplay of text, image, and other communicative modes to convey complex ecological issues, aiming to foster environmental literacy and pro-environmental behaviors [2].
Concurrently, another paper investigates how science communication and literary strategies collaborate to influence public perception of climate change, analyzing various textual approaches, including climate fiction. The authors argue that combining scientific accuracy with compelling narrative techniques is crucial for fostering greater understanding and motivating action on environmental issues [3].
The concept of "more-than-human" cartographies is explored in depth, arguing for novel ways to map and narrate ecological relationships that extend beyond anthropocentric views. This work demonstrates how environmental storytelling, informed by ecocritical theory, can represent complex interdependencies between humans and other species, thereby fostering a deeper understanding of shared planetary existence and the ethical implications of human actions [4].
In a pedagogical context, an article proposes an interdisciplinary approach to teaching environmental justice, integrating literature and film to illuminate the social, economic, and political dimensions of environmental issues. It asserts that creative works are powerful tools for students to critically engage with environmental injustices, foster empathy, and develop solutions, underscoring narrative's role in shaping environmental consciousness [5].
Building on educational innovations, a paper advocates for integrating Indigenous storytelling into environmental education as a crucial step towards decolonizing pedagogical practices and addressing climate change. The authors highlight how Indigenous narratives embody deep ecological knowledge, reciprocal relationships with nature, and community-based resilience, offering powerful alternatives to Western-centric environmental discourses and fostering more holistic understandings of human-nature interactions [6].
Simultaneously, another article examines the critical role of narrative in shaping sense-making and motivating environmental action in response to climate change. The authors analyze how different storytelling approaches influence perceptions of risk, efficacy, and collective responsibility, contending that effective environmental communication leverages compelling narratives to bridge scientific understanding with personal relevance, fostering engagement and promoting sustainable behaviors [7].
The collective influence of art, media, and storytelling in shaping environmental imaginaries is investigated, demonstrating their power in constructing mental models of the environment, fostering emotional connections, and guiding societal engagement with sustainability efforts [8].
Expanding on theoretical frameworks, a review article surveys emerging trends within ecocriticism and literary studies, identifying new theoretical frameworks and critical approaches to environmental texts. It discusses the field's expansion beyond foundational concerns to encompass posthumanism, environmental justice, and the Anthropocene, emphasizing literary analysis's ongoing importance in responding to ecological crises [9].
Finally, the emerging field of the Blue Humanities is explored, examining how literary and artistic representations of oceans and aquatic environments challenge anthropocentric perspectives and foster a deeper ecological consciousness. This work advocates for a more comprehensive understanding of oceanic ecologies and their vulnerability in the Anthropocene, articulating the interconnectedness of human and marine lives through cultural expressions [10].
The diverse collection of articles emphasizes the profound impact of narrative, communication, and interdisciplinary humanities in navigating the complexities of environmental issues. A key theme across several contributions is the influence of various storytelling approaches on public understanding and action. For instance, the use of multimodal discourse analysis reveals how environmental narratives, through text and image, foster environmental literacy and pro-environmental behaviors, especially in educational settings [2]. This perspective is complemented by research showing how the blend of science communication with literary strategies, including climate fiction, is essential for engaging audiences both emotionally and cognitively, thereby shaping public perception and motivating action on climate change [3]. Effectively, crafting narratives that resonate with personal relevance is seen as a cornerstone for bridging scientific understanding with public engagement, ultimately promoting sustainable behaviors and influencing perceptions of risk and collective responsibility [7].
Beyond traditional communication, the broader impact of creative expression is highlighted. Art, media, and various forms of storytelling are shown to collectively shape environmental imaginaries, constructing mental models of the environment and fostering emotional connections crucial for societal engagement with sustainability efforts [8]. This creative lens extends to challenging anthropocentric views, as seen in the exploration of "more-than-human" cartographies. This approach argues for new ways to map and narrate ecological relationships, representing the complex interdependencies between humans and other species and fostering a deeper understanding of shared planetary existence, imbued with ethical implications for human actions [4]. These works demonstrate how creative and critical approaches can fundamentally alter how we perceive and interact with the natural world.
The role of education and justice is central to several articles, advocating for innovative pedagogical practices. One approach proposes integrating literature and film to teach environmental justice, effectively illuminating the social, economic, and political dimensions of environmental issues. Creative works, in this context, serve as powerful tools for students to critically engage with injustices, cultivate empathy, and develop meaningful solutions, stressing the pivotal role of narrative in shaping environmental consciousness [5].
Significantly, there is a strong call for decolonizing environmental education by integrating Indigenous storytelling. These narratives are recognized for embodying deep ecological knowledge, promoting reciprocal relationships with nature, and fostering community-based resilience, thus offering powerful alternatives to Western-centric discourses and promoting more holistic understandings of human-nature interactions [6]. This integration is presented as a crucial step towards reimagining environmental education to be more inclusive and effective.
Furthermore, the collection expands the theoretical and disciplinary boundaries of environmental studies. An introductory piece highlights the environmental humanities' capacity to reimagine the world by focusing on marginalized perspectives and contested zones, emphasizing diverse voices and interdisciplinary approaches that encompass global South perspectives and Indigenous knowledge [1]. A comprehensive review article surveys the evolving landscape of ecocriticism and literary studies, detailing its expansion beyond foundational concerns to include areas like posthumanism, environmental justice, and the Anthropocene. It underscores the enduring importance of literary analysis in understanding and responding to ecological crises [9]. This theoretical expansion also embraces new subfields, such as the emerging Blue Humanities, which examines how literary and artistic representations of oceans challenge anthropocentric views, fostering a deeper ecological consciousness by articulating the interconnectedness of human and marine lives and advocating for a more comprehensive understanding of vulnerable oceanic ecologies [10].
The provided literature highlights the critical role of environmental humanities, storytelling, and diverse communication strategies in understanding and addressing ecological crises. These works collectively emphasize moving beyond conventional frameworks, integrating perspectives from marginalized communities, and valuing Indigenous knowledge to reimagine the world's environmental challenges. Several articles delve into how narratives shape public understanding and engagement with climate change, employing multimodal discourse analysis and literary strategies to foster environmental literacy and pro-environmental behaviors. The importance of combining scientific accuracy with compelling storytelling is stressed, aiming to engage audiences emotionally and cognitively. Discussions extend to "more-than-human" cartographies, advocating for mapping ecological relationships beyond anthropocentric views and fostering deeper planetary understanding. Furthermore, the literature proposes interdisciplinary pedagogical approaches, such as integrating literature and film for teaching environmental justice, and integrating Indigenous storytelling to decolonize environmental education. The power of art, media, and creative expression in shaping environmental imaginaries and fostering emotional connections to sustainability is also a key theme. Finally, the collection surveys emerging trends in ecocriticism, literary studies, and the burgeoning Blue Humanities, showcasing their expanded scope to include posthumanism, environmental justice, and new understandings of oceanic ecologies. This body of work underscores narrative's power in sense-making, motivating environmental action, and promoting holistic human-nature interactions.
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