Ecology as Belonging

Research Focus

Our research argues that the current environmental crisis is fundamentally a political and relational rupture caused by colonial property regimes and extractive economies. Relying on Indigenous relational law and the concept of Tjukurpa, we propose an Ecological Theory of Belonging where ecological stability depends on maintaining reciprocal obligations to the land. We contend that climate change and biodiversity loss are material results of treating nature as a commodified resource rather than a living relative. We advocate for a governance shift from ownership to custodianship to restore the planet’s systemic coherence. Our research presents a framework for addressing ecological collapse through the lens of relational and political repair.