Wordsworth’s Radical Aesthetics

This article focuses on the aesthetics of William Wordsworth, particularly his early poetry. The implications of this investigation are far-reaching. To learn about Wordsworth’s aesthetics is to learn about Romanticism, specifically radical Romanticism and the intricate relation it forges between aesthetics and democracy.  I begin the article with a general account of radical aesthetics, addressing its nature, scope, and its relation to the normative, the political, and the everyday. Next, I turn to the radical aesthetics of Wordsworth.  I then compare radical aesthetics to more traditional accounts of aesthetics, concluding by connecting radical Romantic aesthetics to practical power

Du Bois and dark, wild hope in an age of environmental and political catastrophe

The question of hope and its relation to despair looms all around us—in private conversation and in public discourse. In Environmental Humanities and the Literary Arts, one finds a pervasive pessimism as these fields grapple with such catastrophes as climate change and white nationalism. In this article, I investigate and critically appropriate W. E. B. Du Bois’ notion of a dark, wild hope, suggesting that this particular form of hope is needful as we confront various environmental and political crises. I begin the article by exploring a form of hope that sustained Du Bois in the face of persistent racism—including environmental racism. Next, I argue that Du Bois’ dark, wild hope can help us think about forms of hope appropriate for our own time. Du Bois’ response to the catastrophes that he faced is instructive as we attempt to respond robustly to our current catastrophes. Resilience and vulnerability, resistance and uncertainty, transformation and constraints—these aspects of the human drama informed Du Bois’ dark, wild hope. And this hope—not sunny and Pollyannaish, but rather rooted in suffering, trial, and grief—is a powerful resource for us today.La cuestión de la esperanza y su relación con la desesperación pululan constantemente a nuestro alrededor, tanto en conversaciones privadas como en el discurso público. En las humanidades ambientales y los estudios literarios—disciplinas que lidian con catástrofes como el cambio climático o el nacionalismo blanco—es fácil toparse con un pesimismo generalizado. En este artículo, investigo y hago uso crítico de la noción de W. E. B. Du Bois de una oscura y salvaje esperanza para sugerir que esta forma precisa de esperanza resulta necesaria al confrontar las diversas crisis políticas y medioambientales que nos asolan. Comienzo explorando la forma de esperanza que Du Bois mantuvo para hacer frente al racismo persistente, incluyendo el racismo medioambiental. A continuación, sostengo que la idea de una esperanza oscura y salvaje de Du Bois puede ayudarnos a pensar sobre formas de esperanza apropiadas para nuestra época. La respuesta de Du Bois a las catástrofes a las que él se enfrentó resulta especialmente instructiva al intentar responder, con firmeza, a nuestras catástrofes actuales. Adaptación y vulnerabilidad, resistencia e incertidumbre, transformación y restricciones son aspectos del drama humano que nutrieron la esperanza oscura y salvaje de Du Bois. Y esta esperanza, que no es cándida ni ligera, sino que encuentra sus raíces en el sufrimiento, el dolor y las tribulaciones, se dibuja como un poderoso recurso para nuestro presente

Solidarity, Religion, and the Environment: Challenges and Promises in the 21st Century

The relation among solidarity, religion, and the environment is a timely and pressing topic – or cluster of related topics. It has become clear that religion plays a salient role in forging social solidarity and, in the process, of shaping cultural perspectives that pertain to politics, education, the economy, and the environment.  In this article, I do the following: (1) I argue that religion and solidarity should not be treated as anomalies in modernity, and that both religion and solidarity continue to play a significant role in local and global events; social solidarity in particular remains an essential condition for addressing many challenges that confront the globe today, including social justice and environmental degradation. (2) Drawing mainly on the work of the social theorist, Emile Durkheim, I show the role solidarity plays in establishing freedom of conscience and individual rights (moral individualism), moral pluralism, moral education, economic justice, and political community; this broad discussion will constitute the greater part of this article. Finally, (3) I discuss the relation among religion, solidarity, and environmental degradation; I argue that religion and solidarity can provide important cultural resources to combat global trends that threaten the environment

Du Bois y la oscura y salvaje esperanza en una era de catástrofes políticas y medioambientales

      The question of hope and its relation to despair looms all around us—in private conversation and in public discourse. In Environmental Humanities and the Literary Arts, one finds a pervasive pessimism as these fields grapple with such catastrophes as climate change and white nationalism. In this article, I investigate and critically appropriate W. E. B. Du Bois’ notion of a dark, wild hope, suggesting that this particular form of hope is needful as we confront various environmental and political crises. I begin the article by exploring a form of hope that sustained Du Bois in the face of persistent racism—including environmental racism. Next, I argue that Du Bois’ dark, wild hope can help us think about forms of hope appropriate for our own time. Du Bois’ response to the catastrophes that he faced is instructive as we attempt to respond robustly to our current catastrophes. Resilience and vulnerability, resistance and uncertainty, transformation and constraints—these aspects of the human drama informed Du Bois’ dark, wild hope. And this hope—not sunny and Pollyannaish, but rather rooted in suffering, trial, and grief—is a powerful resource for us today.    La cuestión de la esperanza y su relación con la desesperación pululan constantemente a nuestro alrededor, tanto en conversaciones privadas como en el discurso público. En las humanidades ambientales y los estudios literarios—disciplinas que lidian con catástrofes como el cambio climático o el nacionalismo blanco—es fácil toparse con un pesimismo generalizado. En este artículo, investigo y hago uso crítico de la noción de W. E. B. Du Bois de "oscura y salvaje esperanza" para sugerir que esta forma precisa de esperanza resulta necesaria al confrontar las diversas crisis políticas y medioambientales que nos asolan. Comienzo explorando la forma de esperanza que Du Bois mantuvo para hacer frente al racismo persistente, incluyendo el racismo medioambiental. A continuación, sostengo que la idea de una esperanza oscura y salvaje en Du Bois puede ayudarnos a pensar sobre formas de esperanza apropiadas para nuestra época. La respuesta de Du Bois a las catástrofes a las que él se enfrentó resulta especialmente instructiva al intentar responder, con firmeza, a nuestras catástrofes actuales. Adaptación y vulnerabilidad, resistencia e incertidumbre, transformación y restricciones son aspectos del drama humano que nutrieron la esperanza oscura y salvaje de Du Bois. Esta esperanza, que no es cándida ni ligera, sino que encuentra sus raíces en el sufrimiento, el dolor y las tribulaciones, se dibuja como un poderoso recurso para nuestro presente