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20 — JUDIT FARKAS
theories have pointed out several latent modes of operation that sustain this idea
of cultural hierarchy. It is EH’s position that this latent attitude also contributes
to the environmental-social problems. The exploitation of the resources of so-called
third countries and the deposition of Western countries’ waste in these countries
are only two of the most conspicuous examples. (See Gyula Nagy’s paper on
environmental justice and Szilvia Nyers paper on eco-social work).
Locality of knowledge
The basic tenet of locality-specific knowledge has led EH to realize the importance
of local knowledge which is indispensable for researchers for the understanding of
local problems. The imposition of a global ecological ethic — as Kottak calls it —
is the wrong track if no due attention is devoted to cultural diversity (Kottak 1999:
26).'7 In discussing nature conservation, Anna Varga reviews this issue as well.
The crisis of the “commons”
The crises of collective economic activity and of the commons’® reveal both how
the weakening of a sense of belonging to a locality (e.g., due to migration) increases
the overuse of common resources and furthers the absence of control over use and
the privatization of common property, and how all this affects humanity's approach
to nature. In these discourses, the restoration of collective proprietorship (or at
least collective use) and collective care are discussed as possible solutions. EH finds
the conception of the commons especially significant, because it regards not only
humans but also all other species as members of the given community. Andras
Takacs Sdnta’s paper, The Tragedy and Comedy of the Commons discusses the issue
of the commons and Anna Varga touches on it in her study on traditional ecological
knowledge as well.
Environmental justice
The theories of climate justice, environmental justice and eco-racism"’ mostly
highlight the disproportionately negative environmental impact on marginal groups
"This idea closely resembles Manuel Castells’s proposition about the global Green selfs identity. He
says that the environmental movements engender the emergence of a new social-biological identity,
the biology-based culture of the human species conceived of as a component of nature which at
the same time acknowledges the cultural authenticity fed by diverse traditions (Castells 2006:
232). See the chapter titled “Not Everyone Can Move to the Countryside.” Urban Communal
Responses.
Originally, the English term the commons had a somewhat different semantic content than collective
farming or collective proprietorship.
Zoltan Nagy’s comment on the term eco-racism: The word “racism” implies strong social inequalities
which it aims to powerfully communicate to elicit a strong emotional response.It is not quite as
applicable here because unlike the classical concept of racism, eco-racism does not allude to
different “races”. It basically suggests unequal power sharing. Consequently, it would be more
accurate to allude to the notion of subaltern than to race.