The relationship between post-development discourse and Islamic environmental theology

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Professor, Department of Social Development, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tehran, Iran

2 PhD in Sociology of Rural Social Development, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Since the idea of taming nature by Francis Bacon became the dominant spirit of the literature of modernization and development in the world, the concept of nature as a large cultural category has been reduced to a material and small subject in terms of its natural resources in the service of the well-being of human life.In such a discourse, the concept of nature was reduced to "environment".Today, this type of instrumentalist and possessive view of nature has been criticized and it is claimed that the lost cultural and spiritual meanings of nature have the ability to recreate and give existence to the modern environment. The so-called "post-development" thinkers and the thoughts around "environmental theology" with different origins have such a view of nature and environment. Post-development, as a counter-discourse for development, looks for the root of the environmental crisis in development. Besides that, environmental theology, including Islamic theology, considers the spiritual crisis and human worldview to be affected by the instrumentalist view of nature. The purpose of this article is to examine the points of commonality and difference of post-development views emerging from the literature of post-structuralism and fundamentalist Islamic theology and their solutions to reduce environmental crises and ultimately to link them for a better resolution of crises and to avoid a purely instrumental and engineering approach. The approach of the article is a descriptive-analytical one that tries to show that each of these perspectives have new capacities and ideas to preserve the environment, and with their connection,

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

 
Abedi Sarvestani, A. and Others (2007). The nature and perspectives of environmental ethics with emphasis on the Islamic perspective, Ethics in science and technology.2(1,2):59-72. (in Persian)
Ahmadi, H., Bidollah Khani, A. (2013). Post-developmentalism and critical representations of the development discourse; A popular approach, Iran's social development studies,5(3):47-64. (in Persian)
Anbari.M, Piri.S.(2016). Development as a moral impossibility: Saturation in Rahnama's thought, Economic sociology and development.5(1): 87-114. (in Persian)
Anbari.M.(2003). The idea of ​​post-developmentalism and cultural Turn, Humanities Methodology Quarterly.35: 53-84. (in Persian)
Anbari M.(2015) Sociolohy of Development,Theran, Tehran University Press.
Escobar, A. (1995). Encountering Development: The making and unmaking og the third world, Princeton: princton University Press.
Escobar, A. (2007). Post-development as Concept and Social Practice”, in
Aram Ziai, Exploring Post-development: Theory and Practice, Problem.
Farhady, M. (2014). Industry over tradition or against it: pathology of sustainable development process in Iran, Indigenous knowledge of Iran,1(1).71-131. (in Persian)
Foltz, R. and Others (2014). Islam and the environment, Translate by Dr Khaje Hoseini, Mashhad, Jihad Daneshgaji Press. (in Persian) 
Ghasemi, A. (2011). Seyyed Hossein Nasr's views on the environmental crisis and its solutions, Contemporary wisdom.2(1):85-103. (in Persian)
Ghasemi.A.(2016). An analytical and critical look at the book of environmental theology, Philosophy and theology.3(11,12):233-255. (in Persian) 
Haynes, J. (2007). Religion and Development, New York, Palgrave Macmilan.
Hezarjariby, J, Safari Shali, R. (2014). The application of basic theory in recognizing indigenous knowledge, Indigenous knowledge of Iran.2(3):43-70. (in Persian)
Javadi Amuli, A. (2009). Islam And the Environment,Qom,Asra Press.      
Karter.B, Charls, N. (2016). The nature of society and environmental crises, Translate by Milad Rostami, First edition,Tehran, Sociologists Press. (in Persian)
MohagheghDamad, S. (2014). Environmental theology, First edition, Tehran, Research Institute of Hikmat and Philosophy of Iran Press. (in Persian)  
MohagheghDamad.S.(2011). Environmental theology (A report of the utopia of Allamah Iqbal Lahori), Biological ethics.1: 171-192. (in Persian)  
MohagheghDamad.S.(2000). Environmental theology, Academy of Sciences.17:7-30. (in Persian)    
Nabavi.S, Shahriyari.M.(2014). Religion, moralityand Environment, Man and environment.29: 69-83. (in Persian)     
Nash.K.(2010). Contemporary political sociology, Translate by Delforooz, Tehran, Contemporary look Press. (in Persian)      
Nasr. S.H. (2010). Religion and natural system, Translate by Faghfoori, Third edition, Tehran, Hikmat Press. (in Persian)      
Nasr, S.H. (2008). Man and nature (spiritual crisis of modern man), Translate by Gavahi, Tehran, Islamic culture publishing office Press. (in Persian)      
Nasr, S. (1968). Man and Nature the Spiritual Critisis of Modern Man. Mandala Books. Published by Unwin paperbacks. London
Rahnema, M. (1993). The need for a new language for poverty, Interdisciplinary journal of dialogue.2. (in Persian)
Rahnema, M. (1992) Participation, In the Development Dictionary: A
Guide to Knowledge as Power, Wolfgang Sachs, ed. London: Zed Books.
and Perspectives, First Published, New York: Routledge.
Rahnema, M. (1997). The postdevelopment Reader, London: Zed books.
Sachs,W. (1992). The Development Reader. A Guide to knowledge and power, London, Zed books.
Ziaei,A.(2016). post-development (theory, practice, issues and perspectives), Translate by Dr Anbari and Others, First edition,Tehran, Science publication Press. (in Persian)
Journal of Society and the Environment
Volume 2, Issue 4
May 2025
Pages 57-91

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics