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Topics within the study of Earth Jurisprudence
- The Great Jurisprudence: understanding the universe as an unfolding story and community. Non-industrial and indigenous societies are guided by their stories of origin that describe how life on Earth began. Stories of origin are at the root of indigenous customary law and explain how human governance systems relate to the wider environment and the Universe. In other words, they govern the community’s “codes of conduct” towards the environment and other species. We too in our industrial world have our stories of origin, our Great Jurisprudence. Re-learning our own societies’ stories of origin is an important part of understanding the Great Jurisprudence. We will be analysing the notions of Stories of Origin and the Great Jurisprudence in detail and discussing the relevance of these concepts to new ways of looking at governance and law.
- The Great Work: For Thomas Berry, authentic progress rests in what he terms “the Great Work,” through which we as a species move from being the planet’s plunderers to its benefactors, and become “present to the planet in a mutually beneficial manner”. This task will require a major reorientation of the four basic pillars of society – government, religion, the university, and corporations – which must embrace the Earth and the universe as their primary educators. There are many examples of people, neighbourhoods, communities, organizations and social movements that are working towards an Earth-centred society and culture. These examples offer a range of models that allow us to understand how a mutually enhancing Earth community could work in practice. They can permit us to re-conceive the basic institutions of government, law, religion, education, and business. It is from this vision that a genuine Earth Jurisprudence might eventually emerge. The Great Work is ultimately the reinvention of the human.
- Earth Jurisprudence: Earth Jurisprudence is a philosophy of law and human governance that is based on the idea that humans are only one part of a wider community of beings and that the welfare of each member of that community is dependent on the welfare of the Earth as a whole. It states that human societies will only be viable and flourish if they regulate themselves as part of this wider Earth community and do so in a way that is consistent with the fundamental laws or principles that govern how the universe functions, which is the ‘Great Jurisprudence.’ During this course we will be analysing the meaning of Earth Jurisprudence and its relationship to the Great Jurisprudence and Wild Law. We will also study its laws, content and principles.
- Community Ecological Governance: Community Ecological Governance (CEG) relates to how we develop and apply Earth Jurisprudence and Wild Laws at the practical level. CEG relates to a particular methodology to revive and strengthen a living culture that may have been lost, weakened or oppressed historically through colonisation, state violence, private sector activity or a combination of all or some of these factors. CEG uses a holistic approach that centres on working with community elders to revive and strengthen indigenous knowledge systems and carry them through to the next generation. The teachers on this course are participants of the CEG Global Alliance, a strong network of concerned people and organisations working to promote a more integrated endogenous approach to development in order to solve the interrelated crises of poverty, biodiversity loss and climate change. This course will offer an introduction to the principles and methodology of the CEG approach and speakers will offer insights into particular cases in which they have participated.
- African perspectives: Our speakers from Kenya and Ethiopia will offer their perspectives of Earth Jurisprudence in the context of Africa. They will discuss examples of African customary lore and its relationship with Earth Jurisprudence principles. Do the dominant legal frameworks in Africa (e.g. the Kenyan and Ethiopian constitutions) recognise or integrate customary norms into their governance systems? If so, to what extent? They will look at the contradictions and dichotomies inherent in western-influenced African law. Are the current systems viable in the long-term for reducing poverty, hunger, biodiversity loss and for resolving the many other challenges that Africa faces? By drawing on real case studies, participants will learn about strategies currently being undertaken by African indigenous people in order to achieve recognition of customary law in their national constitutions and achieve greater self-determination over their territories and natural eco-systems.
- Values, organisation and culture: The course will also focus on the indigenous understanding of Earth-centred law. How are indigenous societies organised? What is the role of community members, such as shamans, elders, community chiefs, women and youth? How do indigenous communities maintain a healthy balance between the human community and the natural world? How do indigenous societies inform the path towards the creation of Earth centred systems of governance and society?
- Economics and Earth Jurisprudence: Our economic system is highly destructive towards the environment in order that it can meet the needs of the consumer market. Our production systems use a colossal amount of petroleum based inputs and we have developed a “throw away culture” that demands more resources per capita than our planet is able to provide. Our economic systems have become divorced from the parameters and limits set out by the Earth’s natural systems. Modern economics still regards environmental impacts as ‘externalities’. But how can we integrate ecological wellbeing into this thinking and develop more appropriate economic systems that benefit and do not disfigure the Earth? How can we develop an ‘Earth-to-Earth’ mentality? And what are the future implications for business? This course will offer a critical analysis of the current economic system and will describe the steps our societies must take so that we may learn to live within the means and limits of the natural systems of the Earth. Course participants will be encouraged to engage with an Earth-to-Earth mentality in terms of how we think about the relationship between economic production and environmental sustainability.
- Spiritual and philosophical aspects of Earth Jurisprudence: This course will reveal the links between Earth Jurisprudence principles and personal development. Why is it that when we are in nature, we often feel a profound sense of awe, mystery, and sacredness? Participants will be invited to share their personal feelings and experiences from spending time in nature. They will also be presented with recent scientific discoveries concerning the progression of the universe as well as world religious insights into the nature of creation. Thus the course will offer up a space for participants to attempt to rethink the human-nonhuman relationship and discuss the spiritual and philosophical dimensions of Earth Jurisprudence in depth.
Schumacher College is part of the Dartington Hall Trust, a company limited by guarantee, registered in England and as a charity (company no. 1485560, charity no. 279756). Registered office: The Elmhirst Centre, Dartington Hall, Totnes, Devon TQ9 6EL, UK.