Inga Simpson’s undestory, A life with trees. A taxonomy of Australian landscape


Abstract


This essay focuses on Inga Simpson’s Understory: A Life with Trees (2017) through which Australian flora and fauna become a powerful expression of her ecological activism and bioregional awareness. This will be analyzed by using Riane Eisler’s biocultural partnership-domination paradigm to highlight the relationship between Australian culture and its natural environment, in particular the threatening impact of human beings and climate change. Simpson’s interest in the ‘cognitive’ functions of plants (recognitions, learning mechanisms and remembrance) will also show significant analogies with Monica Gagliano and Stefano Mancuso’s studies.

 

 


DOI Code: 10.1285/i22390359v44p203

Keywords: Inga Simpson; Understory: A Life with Trees; Australian nature writing; partnership studies; plant studies.

References


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