“Nature” can be understood and given meaning in several ways. On the one hand, ‘nature’ may be taken to be material substance necessary for the survival of human kind and, on the other, it is constituted by webs of symbols that may be used for legitimating particular identities and worldviews. This paper examines these diverse notions of ‘nature’ and highlights the concepts of nature as place. Globally, there has been an evolution of adventurous activities in nature. These were once the preserve of small numbers of largely male enthusiasts but now this movement into nature can be seen as an expression of “mass culture”. This paper analyses the ways in which notions of gender may be transgressed through “crossing the line” in a particular place. However, it further considers the implications of the North American ‘nature as therapy’ promulgated through the mythopoetic men’s movement. Finally, it draws attention to the predominance of male voices in academic discourse concerned with nature and outdoor adventure and friluftliv (outdoor life) in Norway.
Author Biography
Barbara Humberstone
Doutora em filosofia pela Universidade de Southampton
Diretora do Outdoor Learning and Experiential Education da unidade
de pesquisa Buckinghamshire Chilters University College, na Inglaterra
Membro do European Institute for Outdoor
Adventure Education and Experiential Learning
Administradora do UK Institute for Outdoor Learning
E-mail: barbara.humberstone@btinternet.com
