Ecology, Natural History, and Ecospatiality in American Literature

The recent works of Juliana Chow, Alexander Menrisky and Lowell Wyse on ecology, natural history and ecospatiality in American literature respectively include some interesting insights into the interpretation of the ecological. Chow explores literary representations of natural history in terms of feminism in relation to science and critical race theory and discusses diaspora and “biogeography.” Menrisky examines the identity politics of ecology in American literature. Wyse focuses on space to examine prose works in modern and contemporary American literature through the lens of place. These authors create studies that invite further thought about the possibilities of ecological literature and criticism, the human relation to the environment and the role of literature in representing and understanding the natural world.