SOLASTALGIA AND ECOLOGICAL GRIEF IN CLIMATE FICTION: AN ECOPSYCHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF FLIGHT BEHAVIOUR

Ahmet Özkan

Article Details

SOLASTALGIA AND ECOLOGICAL GRIEF IN CLIMATE FICTION: AN ECOPSYCHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF FLIGHT BEHAVIOUR

Authors:

Ahmet Özkan

Publisher:

Bingol University

Main Topics:

İngiliz ve İrlanda Dili | Edebiyatı ve Kültürü

Journal:

Bingöl Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi Issue 29, pp.368-381

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

4/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001345716

pISSN:

1309-6672

Keywords:

Abstract:

 In the unfolding era of climate crisis, literary works that grapple with environmental issues have increasingly become focal points for both scholarly and public discourse. Literature, in this sense, operates not only as an artistic endeavor but also as a critical medium for reflecting and shaping environmental consciousness. Within this evolving field of inquiry, solastalgiaa term coined by philosopher Glenn Albrecht to describe the distress produced by environmental changehas emerged as a key concept for examining the emotional and psychological dimensions of ecological transformation. Closely related is the notion of ecological grief, the mourning that arises in response to biodiversity loss, degradation of ecosystems, and the foreclosing of certain environmental futures. Barbara Kingsolvers novel Flight Behavior 2012 offers a nuanced literary representation of these phenomena, foregrounding the lived experiences of individuals and communities as they face the tangible impacts of a changing climate. Building upon the intersection of ecocriticism and ecopsychology, this article undertakes a close reading of Flight Behavior to illuminate how solastalgia and ecological grief are manifested, experienced, and potentially mitigated in the fictional rural community depicted in the novel. By integrating theoretical insights from ecopsychology, the analysis herein demonstrates how literary texts like Flight Behavior can foster a deeper understanding of environmental affect and, in turn, enrich our collective engagement with climate challenges.

 In the unfolding era of climate crisis, literary works that grapple with environmental issues have increasingly become focal points for both scholarly and public discourse. Literature, in this sense, operates not only as an artistic endeavor but also as a critical medium for reflecting and shaping environmental consciousness. Within this evolving field of inquiry, solastalgiaa term coined by philosopher Glenn Albrecht to describe the distress produced by environmental changehas emerged as a key concept for examining the emotional and psychological dimensions of ecological transformation. Closely related is the notion of ecological grief, the mourning that arises in response to biodiversity loss, degradation of ecosystems, and the foreclosing of certain environmental futures. Barbara Kingsolvers novel Flight Behavior 2012 offers a nuanced literary representation of these phenomena, foregrounding the lived experiences of individuals and communities as they face the tangible impacts of a changing climate. Building upon the intersection of ecocriticism and ecopsychology, this article undertakes a close reading of Flight Behavior to illuminate how solastalgia and ecological grief are manifested, experienced, and potentially mitigated in the fictional rural community depicted in the novel. By integrating theoretical insights from ecopsychology, the analysis herein demonstrates how literary texts like Flight Behavior can foster a deeper understanding of environmental affect and, in turn, enrich our collective engagement with climate challenges.

 In the unfolding era of climate crisis, literary works that grapple with environmental issues have increasingly become focal points for both scholarly and public discourse. Literature, in this sense, operates not only as an artistic endeavor but also as a critical medium for reflecting and shaping environmental consciousness. Within this evolving field of inquiry, solastalgiaa term coined by philosopher Glenn Albrecht to describe the distress produced by environmental changehas emerged as a key concept for examining the emotional and psychological dimensions of ecological transformation. Closely related is the notion of ecological grief, the mourning that arises in response to biodiversity loss, degradation of ecosystems, and the foreclosing of certain environmental futures. Barbara Kingsolvers novel Flight Behavior 2012 offers a nuanced literary representation of these phenomena, foregrounding the lived experiences of individuals and communities as they face the tangible impacts of a changing climate. Building upon the intersection of ecocriticism and ecopsychology, this article undertakes a close reading of Flight Behavior to illuminate how solastalgia and ecological grief are manifested, experienced, and potentially mitigated in the fictional rural community depicted in the novel. By integrating theoretical insights from ecopsychology, the analysis herein demonstrates how literary texts like Flight Behavior can foster a deeper understanding of environmental affect and, in turn, enrich our collective engagement with climate challenges.

 Gelişmekte olan iklim krizi çağında, çevre sorunlarıyla ilgilenen edebi eserler hem akademik hem de kamusal söylem için giderek daha fazla odak noktası hâline gelmiştir. Edebiyat, bu anlamda, sadece sanatsal bir çaba olarak değil, aynı zamanda çevre bilincini yansıtmak ve şekillendirmek için eleştirel bir araç olarak da faaliyet göstermektedir. Bu gelişen araştırma alanı içinde, filozof Glenn Albrecht tarafından çevresel değişimin yarattığı sıkıntıyı tanımlamak için ortaya atılan bir terim olan solastalji, ekolojik dönüşümün duygusal ve psikolojik boyutlarını incelemek için anahtar bir kavram olarak ortaya çıkmıştır. Biyoçeşitlilik kaybı, ekosistemlerin bozulması ve belirli çevresel geleceklerin önünün kesilmesine tepki olarak ortaya çıkan yas, ekolojik yas kavramı ile yakından ilişkilidir. Barbara Kingsolverın Flight Behavior 2012 adlı romanı, değişen iklimin somut etkileriyle yüzleşen bireylerin ve toplulukların yaşadıkları deneyimleri ön plana çıkararak bu olguların incelikli bir edebi temsilini sunmaktadır. Ekoeleştiri ve ekopsikolojinin kesişimine dayanan bu makale, romanda tasvir edilen kurgusal kırsal toplulukta solastalji ve ekolojik yasın nasıl ortaya çıktığını, deneyimlendiğini ve potansiyel olarak hafifletildiğini aydınlatmak için Flight Behaviorın yakın bir okumasını yapmaktadır. Bu analiz, ekopsikolojiden teorik görüşleri entegre ederek, Flight Behavior gibi edebi metinlerin çevresel duygulanımın daha derin bir şekilde anlaşılmasını nasıl teşvik edebileceğini ve bunun karşılığında iklim sorunlarıyla kolektif ilişkimizi nasıl zenginleştirebileceğini göstermektedir.

Article Details

SOLASTALGIA AND ECOLOGICAL GRIEF IN CLIMATE FICTION: AN ECOPSYCHOLOGICAL ANALYSIS OF FLIGHT BEHAVIOUR

Authors:

Ahmet Özkan

Publisher:

Bingol University

Main Topics:

İngiliz ve İrlanda Dili | Edebiyatı ve Kültürü

Journal:

Bingöl Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi Issue 29, pp.368-381

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

4/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001345716

pISSN:

1309-6672

Solastalgia

Climate Fiction

Ecopsychology

Ecological Grief

Environmental ConsciousnessSolastalji

İklim Kurgu

Ekopsikoloji

Ekolojik Yas

Çevresel Bilinç

Issues

Article Details

Authors: Ahmet Özkan

Publisher: Bingol University

Main Topics: İngiliz ve İrlanda Dili | Edebiyatı ve Kültürü

Journal: Bingöl Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi Issue 29, pp.368-381

Document Type: Article

Publication Date: 4/2025

Document Language: Turkish

Document ID (Org No.): 2001345716

pISSN: 1309-6672

Issues

Authors:

Ahmet Özkan

Publisher:

Bingol University

Main Topics:

İngiliz ve İrlanda Dili | Edebiyatı ve Kültürü

Journal:

Bingöl Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Enstitüsü Dergisi Issue 29, pp.368-381

Document Type:

Article

Publication Date:

4/2025

Document Language:

Turkish

Document ID (Org No.):

2001345716

pISSN:

1309-6672