Embodiment of Sustainability in Auroville - An anthropological account of human-nature relations and sustainable behaviour in an intentional community in India

Abstract

"Environmental degradation requires cultural change, of our anthropocentric worldview, our capitalist economy and our consumer lifestyle. Ecovillages are challenging experiments for such a transformation. Embodiment of sustainability is a concept I coin to investigate how ecovillagers internalise and display a worldview and lifestyle focused on sustainability. Such an embodiment encompasses connectedness to nature, agency of the self, and collective engagement of the community. Central to the concept is the human body, which holds responsibility for and creates visible footsteps towards a more sustainable lifestyle. I investigated the sustainability of daily live in Auroville, India. This town is an intentional community with a hybrid character. Auroville has a quite a strong culture of individualism. Furthermore, its focus on human unity is spiritually rooted while its firm tradition of reforestation is accompanied by environmental awareness. The spiritual roots of Auroville simultaneously further and impede sustainable behaviour. Despite environmental disappointments, committed Aurovilians keep on putting effort in a multitude of sustainable initiatives concerning nature as well as the community."