The Body, Nature and Dialogue

This is an excerpt from one of the presentations featured in the Pari Center’s event The Enchanted Universe, in Pari from August 29 to September 5, 2022.

with Jessica Ball

This work explores the language and narratives of ecological identity – what an ecological identity is; how an ecological identity is formed; and how expanding one’s sense of self to include the ecological could be of benefit, or bring about change to the individual, organisations or society. The work seeks to reveal emergent positive discourse on ecological identity; a language that can counter the dominant language and narrative of technology and the machine in relation to our human identity and ecological sense of self. Words such as reciprocity, gratitude and gift: from the very nature of the things they are describing, require an embodied, creative experience to truly understand their meaning. Experiencing language in an embodied sense supports the transformation towards something; a language that is both nurturing and activating; that can reconnect us to the web of life, and our interdependent relationship with nature and each other.

Jessica Ball is a creative facilitator dedicated to working towards positive social and environmental change through transformative learning, dialogue and the value of creativity. Jessica has worked with a diverse range of organisations across sectors from corporate and international development to education and charities. She is currently studying a PhD in ecolinguistics at the University of Gloucestershire, under the supervision of Professor Arran Stibbe, author and founder of the International Ecolinguistics Association. Jessica is researching ‘the body, nature and dialogue’, an exploration of ecological identity.