ECOSYSTEMIC JOURNEYS
To guide you in exploring Ecosystem Europe, we introduce four ecosystemic journeys, each representing a unique pathway within the collection that reimagines the continent. These journeys invite you to reconsider long-held views on history, nature, individuality, and economy.
As you navigate the collection, you are encouraged to follow one or more of these pathways, creating a personal reading path through the various sources and perspectives.
Each pathway is not a fixed route but a dynamic invitation to engage your imagination, to reshape Europe’s story in a way that resonates with you.
What if we tell a different history?
For centuries, history has been told as a story of monarchs, wars, and technological triumphs, often ignoring the agency of nature, the planet, and non-human entities. To imagine an ecosystemic Europe, we must integrate these voices into our historical narratives. This approach acknowledges the interconnectedness of all beings and forces in shaping our world. By telling stories that highlight mutual influence and shared responsibility, we can reshape our perceptions of both the past and the future. Concepts like Gaia stories, composting rather than posthumanism, and viewing humanity as “humus” illustrate the interconnected nature of life and emphasize a broader sense of kinship within the European ecosystem.
What if “nature” does not exist?
Shifting our view of nature dissolves the boundary between culture and nature, seeing both as entangled and mutually influential. Ecosystem Europe rejects the notion of nature as a static backdrop or resource and instead recognizes the creative, ongoing relationship between natural and human forces. This perspective reveals a world in which human interventions and natural processes are inseparable, fostering an understanding that all matter—human, non-human, animate, and inanimate—is involved in an endless cycle of creation. This entanglement invites us to reconsider “nature” not as a separate category but as part of a dynamic process in which Europe is continuously co-created.
What if we acknowledge our relations with every entity?
Traditional views of individuality and separation dissolve when we observe the complex web of interrelations within ecosystems. Just as symbiotic relationships among organisms like lichens and weeds enable mutual survival, Europe’s existence relies on a dense network of interdependencies. Recognizing this interconnectedness challenges the conventional notion of competition as the primary evolutionary force and emphasizes collaboration and coexistence. In an ecosystemic Europe, borders become porous, and entities are defined not by isolation but by the relationships that sustain them, prompting us to adopt a more holistic understanding of community and coexistence.
What if we invent an ecosystemic economy?
Throughout history, nature has been exploited as a source of endless resources, often leading to environmental degradation. Imagining an ecosystemic economy requires a shift towards a relationship of giving and taking, where nature is respected as a participant with inherent rights. In such an economy, resources are not limitlessly extracted but are managed with an ethic of care, creating systems that prioritize sustainability and a harmonious coexistence with nature. This economic reimagination fosters a Europe where the rights of nature are respected and where human activities are guided by principles of balance, reciprocity, and mutual care.
