Contribution short abstract

As part of my doctoral dissertation on the political ecology of wolf conservation, I created the album KO:MI - Belonging in Nature. This presentation examines how music's emotional resonance can enhance our understanding of our relationships with other-than-humans.

Contribution long abstract

This presentation explores the intersection of political ecology and the arts, particularly through music, to examine how we understand our relationships with other-than-humans. In a world grappling with climate change and biodiversity loss, it’s essential to recognize that while we can never fully escape our human perspective, we can strive to understand other-than-human viewpoints. This is where the arts, and music specifically, can play an important role.

As part of my doctoral dissertation on the political ecology of wolf conservation, I created an album of music titled Belonging in Nature, which functioned both as an analytical tool and an output of the research. Music, as a non-verbal and non-visual medium, has a unique ability to connect directly with our emotions and intuitive understanding of the world. Artistic work included in social scientific research can create resonating experiences, and disrupt and animate discussions, providing deeper engagement with complex ideas. These characteristics also give music intriguing potential for gaining insight into other-than-human perspectives.

In this presentation, I will discuss how music creation can become a tool for analysis, while musical experiences can broaden the impacts of research both within and beyond academia, enriching our understanding of socio-ecological dynamics. By integrating artistic methods into political ecology, we can cultivate a more holistic view of our relationships with the more-than-human world. Ultimately, embracing the arts helps us navigate our human limitations and encourages us to take responsibility for the diverse lives that share our planet, paving the way for social change and environmental justice.