New Ways for Imagining the Future of Humans and Nature

Calls for deep transformative change highlight the need to address the underlying causes of biodiversity loss by including all social actors, both privileged and underrepresented. Indigenous and local knowledge holders, for instance, should be central in imagining better futures. Yet mainstream media often depict Indigenous cosmologies as heroic but ultimately disappearing.

This presentation focuses on films produced by contemporary Indigenous or aboriginal communities, mainly in the Global South and the United States. These works show both critique and collaboration between traditional beliefs and modern systems (economic development, science, human rights, Western environmentalism). Such Indigenous interculturalism fosters mutual respect and co-creation of knowledge for everyone’s benefit.

About the Presenter

Dr. Marcone is Professor of Environmental Humanities in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese, and the Program in Comparative Literature at Rutgers University-New Brunswick. Associate Dean of Humanities at Rutgers’ School of Arts and Sciences, Co-director of the Public Humanities, and Environmental Humanities+Justice initiatives.

Sponsored by Voces De La Comunidad

The VOCES Project places Camden residents at the heart of its mission, fostering connections between community members, researchers, and organizations to tackle critical environmental challenges. Combining scientific research, the humanities, and community storytelling, VOCES focuses on climate justice and health equity, creating a platform for collaboration, advocacy, and action, and amplifying the voices of those who are most affected by these issues.