The False Divide between Nature and Culture
False Divide: Nature and Culture web
“Culture” is often equated with all things human, and “nature” with the external environment; distinguished from each other as if they were two separate realms of reality. This idea stemmed from modernist ideals of progress, where nature and ‘the environment’ were framed as separate distinct from humans as something to exploit or dominate, external to human endeavours, or seen as an escape from the ‘real world’ of culture - a place to relax outside of the pressures of work. This separation has led to some of the existential challenges we face today including climate change, resource depletion, biodiversity loss, mass extinction events, and waste and pollution.
This seminar presents work that shatters the false distinction between nature and culture and troubles lay perceptions of human practices as separate from the apparent wilds of nature. These presentations challenge us to think differently about the natureculture entanglements that arise in everyday life, and to consider how narratives of humanity’s dominance over the ‘natural world’ can be overturned to address the environmental and social challenges that they have generated.
Speakers:
- Mary Lou Rassmussen (ANU) and Celia Roberts (ANU)
- Ben Matthews (University of Newcastle)
- Gavin Smith (ANU)
Event Information
- Date: Wednesday 5 November 2025 from 3:00pm - 5:00pm
- Duration: 2 hours
- Location: Online
The University of Newcastle acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands within our footprint areas: Awabakal, Darkinjung, Biripai, Worimi, Wonnarua, and Eora Nations. We also pay respect to the wisdom of our Elders past and present.