Towards Ecopedagogy: An Education Embracing Ecophilia

Abstract

The aim of this article is to propose the concept of ecophilia as the guiding idea for conceiving an education with ecological concern-ecopedagogy. Drawing on E. O. Wilson's idea of biophilia and Yi Fu Tuan's notion of topo-philia, I coin the term 'ecophilia', which means the human affective and embodied bond with other living beings and the environs, e.g. nature and place. Ecopedagogy is coined to mean an ecological approach to education with the aim of cultivating ecophilia. I argue that embracing ecophilia can expand the current mode of education that neglects environments and nature. Education in terms of ecophilia and ecopedagogy reconnects humans and the environment in an ecologically meaningful way.