Place, belonging and ecopolitics : learning our way towards the place-responsive society

This paper considers the ecopolitical and social implications of moving towards a place sensitive culture as advocated by Plumwood (2000). A culture that has 'a rich, deep connection with land and place' is clearly desirable, but to what extent is it compatible with a green political agenda, or with the approaches of conservation organisations? What challenges do place advocates and environmentalists present for each other? Plumwood's advocacy of place-sensitivity is made as part of a critique of Read's (2000) call for non-Aboriginal Australians to develop a sense of place and belonging in Australia that is separate from but respectful of Aboriginal connection with country. What is the significance of place sensitivity for the relationship between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal Australians in the context of the reconciliation and land rights debates? I discuss these questions in the light of my experience working in conservation organisations, teaching university courses in sense of place and organising place-based colloquia. The notion of learning our way towards place sensitivity (borrowing from Milbrath 1989) emerges as a useful way to understand the political and personal processes implied in Plumwoods and Read's work. In contemporary Australia, an effective inter-cultural dialogue is central to the success of such an individual and organisational learning process. Moving towards a culture of place sensitivity (or place responsiveness I would prefer to call it) is potentially a significant ecopolitical issue, but comes with many complexities and controversies