Introduction

This volume collects essays on postcolonial, ecocritical, intercultural, mythical, and archetypal studies of literature, as well as applied linguistics and education. The volume’s ideas are based on the biocultural partnership model developed by Riane Eisler. These contributions from renowned international scholars focus on partnership mediation, intercultural strategies in English literatures, applied linguistics and plurilingual education which promote a viable poetics of relation (Edouard Glissant) and partnership (Riane Eisler). These strategies seek to move beyond the scientistic and technocratic attitudes stemming from domination and bio-imperialism (Vandana Shiva). Riane Eisler’s model intersects with contemporary systemic science and ecofeminism. As a model for thinking about language, culture and the environment, Eisler’s partnership theory works against traditional Western binary oppositions between coloniser/colonised, master/slave, ego/other, white European/indigenous, and male/female. Her perspective is consonant with Raimon Panikkar’s idea of ecosophy, which emphasises the wisdom-spirituality of Mother Earth. The capacity to listen, relate and connect to human beings and the environment is at the core of this biocultural partnership approach, transcending the dominator paradigm which is based on violence and control. All essays share this partnership vision and aim to show how the power of narrative, literature, applied linguistics and education, across ages and genres, creatively highlight the fundamental connection between human beings and their environment and how to live in sustainable harmony for the benefit of our planet. They also provide new and vital transdisciplinary perspectives on the ongoing debate in the field