The practice of hunting as a way to transcend alienation from nature

Abstract

This paper explores whether and to what extent the practice of leisure hunting is used as
a way to transcend the human-nature alienation and thereby reconcile modern society and nature.
The study is based on semi-structured interviews with hunters around Stockholm, Sweden and
participant observation. In the paper, modernity is discussed from a Marxist perspective as causing
the alienation of human beings from nature and natural sources of production through processes of
industrialisation, capitalism and urbanisation. By exploring hunting as an ancient activity in a
modern society the paper further discusses whether hunting can, through managing and harvesting
wildlife, offer some kind of insight into people’s interaction with natural sources of production. The
question is whether hunting has the potential to facilitate a more profound appreciation of wildlife
and ecosystems by reconnecting people with nature. The effects of Modernity on hunting are also
discussed to reflect some of the paradoxes and internal contradictions that exist within hunting.

Keywords

Hunting; Alienation; Reconciliation; Modernity; Nature

Published in

The Journal of Transdisciplinary Environmental Studies
2019, volume: 17, number: 1, pages: 22-37

SLU Authors

• Tickle, Lara

  • Department of Urban and Rural Development, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Social Sciences Interdisciplinary
Human Geography

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/109399