The Laudato Si’ Research Institute is a work of the Jesuits in Britain. Based at Campion Hall, University of Oxford, the LSRI engages in academic research and teaching in the higher education sector. In doing so, it takes its inspiration from Pope Francis’ 2015 encyclical and, particularly its call to develop an integral ecology approach to the various crises we are facing as a global society.
But what is an integral ecology approach?
Perhaps we might begin with what the encyclical identifies as the “technocratic paradigm” of Western society (LS §20). Here, Francis is referring to the widespread assumption that by means of our scientific, technological and economic prowess, we humans have the right to extract from the Earth whatever we need and, more importantly, whatever we want. Via this way of thinking, we begin to see ourselves as separated the natural world, imagining the resources of the planet are available for “possession, mastery and transformation” (LS §106). Of course, such a mindset has generated wealth and prosperity for some (maybe us included?), but this trajectory cannot be upheld forever. The extraction of material resources in pursuit of economic growth and development cannot be sustained at this rate, especially if we wish to bequeath a habitable planet for future generations.
Turning to the tradition of Catholic social teaching, we find resources for a different kind of story. In place of the technocratic paradigm, there is a vision of the interconnectedness of all creation. Human dignity is to be found by locating ourselves “in the midst of the marvellous concert of all God’s creatures” (LD §67). Our calling and vocation, then, is to be attentive to the widest possible set of obligations to the world around us, which leads us to the concept of an “integral ecology” approach.
Integral ecology understands our world as fundamentally interconnected, inviting us to be attentive to voices that are usually drowned out. This includes “the cry of the poor”- those located far from us whose lives are nevertheless affected by environmental harms we have generated - It and “the cry of the earth”, as all living creatures’ groans under the weight of these same impacts.
Of course, such attentiveness to our situation is not easy. We live in a complex world, where the impact of our decisions can often be hard to trace. Hence, Pope Francis calls for action in various domains – including higher education and the university sector!
In the last three years, the LSRI has been developing academic projects that place integral ecology front and centre. These are taking place in real-life contexts around the world. In each case, it collaborates with local Catholic and Jesuit partners, and with communities on the ground. These projects are taking place in Northeast India, the Amazon region, and Uganda, to name but a few. With all these projects, the LSRI produces material that seeks to challenge the higher education community to see things differently - that is, to view the world through an integral ecology lens.
You can find out more about this work on the LSRI website, or via a longer version of our new video.
You may also be interested to learn about the LSRI's new Integral Ecology Research Network, led by Dr Peter Rožič SJ, which seeks to connect and support many of these global initiatives.
Photo by Louis Maniquet on Unsplash
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