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This review has been accessed times since June 9, 2005

Bowers, C. A. (1997). The Culture of Denial: Why the Environmental Movement Needs a Strategy for Reforming Universities and Public Schools. Albany: State University of New York Press.

277 pages
$17.95     ISBN 0791434648

Reviewed by David Wojnowski
Kent State University

June 9, 2005

The major point that Chet Bowers is trying to get across in his book The Culture of Denial: Why the Environmental Movement Needs a Strategy for Reforming Universities and Public Schools is that the educational system must “acknowledge the intellectual and moral double binds in what is being taught in our public schools and universities” is causing the ecological crisis (p. 2). He also makes clear the necessity of the environmental movement to recognize the “danger of ignoring the educational process” (p. 34). He calls for a radical change in moral and intellectual foundations in the educational system and stresses the need for cultures to “live in a sustainable relationship with an environment that cannot be taken for granted” (p. 4).

Bowers explains the ecological problems of globalization, which leads to monoculture. The current trend of globalization with progress defined as change, science as culturally neutral, research ignoring moral judgment, and the loss of local knowledge is contributing to the ecological crisis. Bowers critiques technology, especially computers, as having no contextual connection to the “real” world and accelerating the erosion of local knowledge.

One recurring theme in the book is how an anthropocentric view is detrimental to the ecological sustainability of the earth. Bowers specifically targets economic departments in universities (reminding us how humans reduce natural systems to ‘natural resources’ to be exploited by consumers) and schools of business, which “perpetuate an uncritical acceptance of the culture of modernity” (p. 79) and “[transform] the Earth’s ecosystems into commodities that fill our shopping malls” (p. 81).

In chapter 3 Bowers walks a fine line between respect for indigenous knowledge that incorporates ecologically sustainable cultural patterns and glorifying the ways of cultures ‘unburdened’ with modern technological ‘advances’. He criticizes the autonomist, existential mode of western thinking and advices that we should “consider our responsibility to traditions and to the needs of unborn generations” (p. 103). (For an entertaining look at existentialism/environmentalism see the movie ‘i [heart] huckabees’ 2004.) Bowers (p. 104) uses the Himalayan plateau Ladakhis, portrayed by Helena Norberg-Hodge as having “psychological, social, and spiritual wealth” (1995, p. 95), as the quintessential traditional culture that is in harmony with the land. However, most people (the Ladakhis included) once they have become aware of the luxuries of modern society are not satisfied with the ‘harsh’ traditional way of life and begin to assimilate new technologies or relocate. This is where Bowers maintains that an ideology that understands what the current ideology is doing to the Earth’s ecosystems must be taught in public schools and universities if we are to stop the continued degradation of the Earth.

In chapter 4 Bowers offers cultural/bio-conservatism as a guide to educational reform. This is the real meat and potatoes of what he would like educators to do. This ‘ecopedagogy’ (Jardine, 2000) would assist educators in making a “shift from an experimental and consumer-oriented culture to one that is oriented more toward taking responsibility for how cultural practices impact the increasingly fragile ecosystems...” (p. 140). He uses Bateson’s (1972) metaphor of the map and territory, borrowed from the linguist Alfred Korzybski, to illustrate that what educators highlight will be interpreted as what is important. Bowers uses this as an example:

If the cultural form of intelligence (beliefs, values, personal experiences. etc.) of the mapmaker is centered on the layout of the highway system in relation to towns and major geographical features, the use of this form of cultural mapping will make it difficult to be aware of the other characteristics of the territory – such as the existence of rare plants and animals, how perturbations have altered the vegetation patterns, and so forth” (p. 151).

Another example I encountered working five years as Stream Watch Coordinator for the North Carolina Department of Environment and Natural Resources that illustrates the epistemological orientation acquired by individuals through language use and ‘cultural maps’ would be the word ‘lake,’ which people use interchangeably, or more often in place of, the word “reservoir.” A lake is a naturally occurring body of water, whereas a reservoir is a body of water usually made from damming a river or stream - disrupting the natural flow and ecology of the river downstream and upstream, flooding what was a completely different habitat before the reservoir was created.

Bowers is also highly critical of constructivism and believes that it is absurd to think that humans construct their “own” knowledge and that individuals can act independently of the environment. On page 15, Bowers agrees with David Orr's (1992) cogent statement that, "all education is environmental education" (p. 90). However, Bowers critiques the few teachers and professors that might take the time to read his book calling most environmental education courses add-ons that have no real chance of making a difference. He even takes the chance of alienating the very professors that may make his case for him by stating that “professors who teach courses with an environmental focus are generally viewed by their colleagues as working on the periphery of the discipline, and are tolerated only as a ritualistic means of maintaining the appearance of addressing current social concerns” (p. 61).

Bowers partly blames today’s thinking on root metaphors that co-evolved during the industrial revolution and are reinforced by public schooling and our university systems. Summarized below:

• A mechanistic way of understanding life processes [in our use of certain phrases]
• A view of change as linear and progressive in nature.
• A view of the individual as the basic social unit and of life as a constant Sisyphean struggle to escape from the influence of all traditions.
• An anthropocentric way of understanding human relationships with nature.
• The view that science as the most powerful and legitimate source of knowledge, including knowledge of the origin of life. (pgs. 204-206)

According to Bowers high-status knowledge should not be given priority over indigenous knowledge and blames the ecological crisis on misuse of high-status knowledge.

Bowers ends the book with several recommendations that can be integrated into the curriculum but not without first taking a stab at colleges of education. On page 246 the subheading reads, “A Source of the Problem: Colleges of Education”. Here is where Bowers puts the brunt of the responsibility squarely on the backs of professors in colleges of education, “the control that education professors have over the content of the professional courses, in both teacher education and graduate degree programs, suggests that they have a unique responsibility that is not being recognized” (p. 247).

Overall this is a good read which raises some very important questions, and instead of leaving you hanging, like many theoretical or philosophical books do, Bowers gives answers in a very practical way. Culture of Denial is hard on the established educational community but this is the very community that can save us from ourselves.

References

Jardine, D. (2000). “Under the Tough Old Stars”: Ecopedagogical Essays. Volume Four of the Foundations of Holistic Education Series. Brandon, VT: Foundation for Educational Renewal.

Orr, D. (1992). Ecological literacy: Education and the transition to a postmodern world. Albany: State University of New York Press.

About the Reviewer

David Wojnowski Ph.D. student in Curriculum & Instruction at Kent State University with a science education concentration. I have worked in the field of environmental education for the past seventeen years, seven with the North Carolina Department of Environment & Natural Resources: two as site manager for the North Carolina National Estuarine Research Reserves in the Division of Coastal Management and five years with the Division of Water Resources as the Stream Watch/Project WET (Water Education for Teachers) Coordinator, prior to that I was a science teacher for eight years where I taught in grades K-12 (K-6 as a science specialist and at the High School level teaching earth science, marine biology and oceanography). I am interested in science teacher professional development and will be doing my dissertation research fall of 2005 - teaming herpetologists from the National Museums of Kenya, University of Nairobi and Kenyatta University with rural science teachers from the Mt. Kasigau/Tsavo National Park region of SE Kenya - where I will be looking for attitude changes towards snakes (and herps in general) and possible subsequent changes in classroom pedagogy.

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