Humans are simultaneously a product and a shaping force of their environment. A significant body of research exists to determine and evaluate how humans have interacted with each other and their environment throughout centuries (Peoples & Bailey, 2017). In their works, Ferguson (2021), Meskel (2018), and Hodder (2018) discuss different views on human evolution, coming to general yet uniform conclusions. Existing complex interpersonal and international cooperation principles require a profound re-evaluation and re-contextualization to move away from obsolete paradigms.
Globalization has significantly changed connections between humans and the environment. Ferguson (2021) argues that the modern social environment requires a re-evaluation of traditional interpersonal and international relationships and tries to develop the idea of obligatory sharing. He makes the case that the conceptual tools for this already exist, for example, in some African states, but require re-interpretation for successful development (Ferguson, 2021). This idea is relevant due to how human societies are intertwined within the modern globalized world.
It is supported by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) programs aimed at preserving cultural heritage worldwide to benefit all humanity. However, in her work, Meskell (2018) argues that UNESCO and its World Heritage program are rooted in an anachronistic worldview. The author discusses recent crises related to the destruction of world heritage sites, particularly in Cambodia, Crimea, and the Middle East (Meskell, 2018). The work presents a critique of modern systems relying on international cooperation to preserve natural wonders and human-made environments and calls for urgent changes.
UNESCO’s mission and realization methods should still be recognized as an essential representation of humanity’s relationship with the world of things. It is reminiscent of a phenomenon Ian Hodder (2018) labels entanglement – the growing interdependence between humans and their creations. The author suggests a novel theory of human evolution, claiming that a growing interdependence between humans and things necessitates a constant stream of new inventions (Hodder, 2018). The work aims to prove that these conditions constrain humanity’s ability to respond to global crises.
Ferguson, Meskell, and Hodder discuss aspects of contemporary environmental anthropology to showcase the underlying flaws in the existing systems that govern today’s globalized societies. While Ferguson focuses primarily on interpersonal relationships in the world of the diminishing importance of traditional governments and states, Meskell and Hodder delve into the world of nonliving things. The three scholars provide revolutionary and somewhat controversial insights into the growing mutual reliance between humans and their contemporary environment.
References
Ferguson, J. (2021). Presence and social obligation: An essay on the share. Prickly Paradigm Press. Web.
Hodder, I. (2018). Where are we heading? The evolution of humans and things. Yale University Press. Web.
Meskell, L. (2018). A future in ruins: UNESCO, world heritage, and the dream of peace. Oxford University Press. Web.
Peoples, J., & Bailey, G. (2017). Humanity: An Introduction to cultural anthropology. Cengage.