2021: Interdisciplinary & Transdisciplinary
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
University of Calgary PRISM: University of Calgary's Digital Repository International Journal of Fear Studies Volume 03: Issue 01, 2021 2021-04-08 International Journal of Fear Studies, Volume 3 (1), 2021: Interdisciplinary & Transdisciplinary Approaches In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute Fisher, R. M., Alex, R. K., & Sachindev, P. S. (eds.) (2021). Interdisciplinary & Transdisciplinary Approaches. International Journal of Fear Studies, 3(1). http://hdl.handle.net/1880/113246 journal Downloaded from PRISM: https://prism.ucalgary.ca International Journal of Fear Studies 3(1) 2021 International Journal of Fear Studies: Interdisciplinary & Transdisciplinary Approaches is an open-access peer-reviewed online journal. IJFS was founded in 2018 by R. Michael Fisher, Ph.D. (Sen. Editor). Its purpose is to promote the interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary study of fear. It is the first journal of its kind with a focus on the nature and role of fear and on innovations in methodologies, pedagogies and research inquiries that expand the fear imaginary beyond what is commonly assumed as how best to know and manage fear. IJFS is an open-access journal stored in PRISM, University of Calgary, AB, Canada. Contents of this journal are copyrighted by the authors and/or artists and should not be reproduced without their permission. Permission is not required for appropriate quote excerpts of material, other than poetry, which are to be used for educational purposes. IJFS is a not-for-profit venture. Any donations or support of energy, time and money are greatly appreciated. Contact: R. Michael Fisher [email protected] Senior Editor – R. Michael Fisher, Ph.D., Director, In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute, Vancouver, BC, Canada Board of Reviewers Four Arrows (Wahinkpe Topa, Don T. Jacobs), Ed.D., Professor, School of Leadership Studies, Fielding Graduate University, San Francisco, CA Rayson K. Alex, Professor, Humanities & Social Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology & Science Pilani, K. K. Birta Goa Campus, Goa Bhawana Pokhrel, Professor Humanities, English Dept., Tribhuvan University, Nepal Barbara Bickel, Ph.D. Emerita Professor, Southern Illinois University Carbondale, now living in Vancouver, BC B. Maria Kumar, author, India Madelainne K. Joss, writer, Calgary, AB 2 International Journal of Fear Studies 3(1) 2021 International Journal of Fear Studies: Interdisciplinary & Transdisciplinary Approaches Vol. 3, No. 1, 2021 Navigating Ecofear through Diverse Cultures Guest Editors: Rayson K. Alex & Sachindev P. S. ISSUE Contents Senior Editorial: Investigations From the Deep R. Michael Fisher ............................................................................................................ 5 Part A: Critical Essays Editorial: Naturecultures, Ecofears, Cultural Texts Rayson K. Alex and Sachindev P. S. ............................................................................... 7 Ecofear as Visible and Invisible: Conceptual Underpinnings of The Southern Reach Trilogy by Jeff VanderMeer Meera Baindur ............................................................................................................... 11 Ecoanxiety: A Philosophical Investigation from the Early Buddhist Perspective Gyan Prakash ................................................................................................................. 26 Navigating Women Scientist & Unnatural Selection Through The Nest (1987) and Splice (2006) Tiffany Deater ................................................................................................................ 35 Narrativizing Ecoterrorism in the Indian Film Irada Praggnaparamita Biswas .............................................................................................. 45 Rivers as the Site of Fear: Flood and Drought Through the Lens of Ritwik Ghatak’s Titas Ekti Nadir Naam Sinjini Ray ...................................................................................................................... 52 Of Devouring Waters and Unforgiving Lands: An Analysis of Premonition Ecology in two Wetland Narratives from West Bengal Sanchar Sarkar and Swarnalatha Rangarajan ........................................................... 61 3 International Journal of Fear Studies 3(1) 2021 Ecofear in Mohan Koirala’s Ambassadors of the Wetland Ramji Timalsina ............................................................................................................ 74 Trepidation of Change: Analysing the Somatic De-recognition of Mother Nature in Gopinath Mohanty’s Paraja Sadhna Swayamsidha ................................................................................................ 83 Culture of Fear and Conservation of Nature: Critiquing the Construction of Sarppakavu in Kerala Monisha Mohan and Gigy J. Alex ................................................................................ 92 An Analysis of Reverential Ecofear in Theyyam: A Ritualistic Performance of North-Malabar Rithwik Sankar A. ...................................................................................................... 105 Part B: Creative Works Hydrophobia―The Water That I dread! (Experiential Fictional Story) S. Susan Deborah ........................................................................................................ 116 From Dust to Dust... (Experiential Fictional Story) Vidya Sarveswaran ..................................................................................................... 118 Precaution (Poem) Nithya Mariam John .................................................................................................. 120 The Bird’s Plight, Takes a Flight (Poem) Harishankar Muppirala & Manisha Asrani ............................................................ 121 The Locked-down Burg (Poem) Shourya Pathak .......................................................................................................... 122 Tornado Lake (Short Documentary) Tiffany Deater ............................................................................................................... 123 Bionotes of the Contributors and Editors ................................................................................. 124 **** 4 International Journal of Fear Studies 3(1) 2021 Senior Editorial: Investigations from the Deep -R. Michael Fisher (Canada) With this issue the International Journal of Fear Studies certainly takes a leap in its development. I was so pleased that Dr. Rayson Alex approached me well over a year ago with a proposal to Guest Edit the next issue (Vol. 3, No. 1). It was a timely request as I was ready to take a break from my Sen. Editorial duties. The fact that he had a theme and had a co-editor, ensured the care that this issue shows, as it emerged from an idea and passion for ecofear studies. I feel grateful for their team efforts and close working with the authors, as I am intrigued by the diversity that this work introduces from the far East, with a strong representation of women’s voices, and mostly from the worlds of Literature, Humanities, Arts, Environmental Studies. It brings something new to most IJFS readers. There is a lot of deep cultural infusion in these articles. As a Westerner, it’ll be enjoyable to spend time reading these pieces more carefully in the months ahead. There is a particularly strong emphases on Indigenous ways and cultural strategies towards fear management. I took initiative to finally edit the pieces to reflect a distinction: (a) indigenous, without a capital would refer to the more generic use of that term whereby people of any type might see themselves as ‘indigenous’ to an area because of a long history of dwelling there, including their ancestors and, (b) Indigenous, with a capital letter as a more specific designation to peoples who are distinctly practicing the ‘old ways’ of ancient peoples who are often called ‘natives,’ ‘primitives,’ aboriginal and/or original peoples, etc. I thought Indigenous to be the most respectful designation. It carries with it the sensibility of dignified and wise peoples, who live(d) closely with the land and nature. I utilize Four Arrows’ (2016) Indigenous-based scholarship in particular for the universal characteristics of such people of the ‘old ways,’ who practice an Indigenous worldview—while, at the same time, acknowledge no generalizing ought to be done without due caution, as it is too easy for colonizers especially, to lump all Indigenous people into one generic category without realizing the beautiful uniqueness of many of their cultures and traditions. What seems clear is that IJFS creates a ‘nest’ for creative people to come to and feel they get a fair hearing and a place to hang their work. This includes junior scholars and others who are looking for a place to publish and get their writing careers off to a good start. Of course, IJFS also is delighted to have more mature works by senior scholars. But besides building this next, this journal is also meant to be a place of dialogue with those who agree and disagree with the contents and approaches to Fear Studies that are found in these pages. This means there’s still a lot of work to do theoretically and philosophically in regard to detailed critical analysis of articles. It would be a pity to merely see articles read and no follow-up interactions with the authors. I’ll support this intellectual community however I can. I encourage people to contact each other and continue discussions of the best ways we can understand the nature and role of fear—and,