LMKB_a451 Intermediální ekokritika

Faculty of Arts
Spring 2026
Extent and Intensity
0/2/0. 5 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).
In-person direct teaching
Teacher(s)
doc. Mgr. Petr Bubeníček, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Mgr. Tereza Dědinová, Ph.D. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
Mgr. Tereza Dědinová, Ph.D.
Department of Czech Literature – Faculty of Arts
Contact Person: Mgr. Veronika Bromová, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Department of Czech Literature – Faculty of Arts
Prerequisites (in Czech)
TYP_STUDIA(ND)
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is also offered to the students of the fields other than those the course is directly associated with.
The capacity limit for the course is 25 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/25, only registered: 0/25, only registered with preference (fields directly associated with the programme): 0/25
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
there are 6 fields of study the course is directly associated with, display
Course objectives
The seminar will focus on exploring the relationship between culture and nature in the context of the climate crisis. Key topics such as environmental justice, the green transition, and visions of a biospheric future will be addressed. Particular emphasis will be placed on the analysis of cultural artifacts (literature, film, visual arts, and new media) that reflect these themes and their transformations in response to the current environmental situation.
We will examine the role of culture in the (un)success of the green transition through an interdisciplinary approach incorporating insights from cognitive science, intermedial ecocriticism, critical discourse analysis, environmental psychology, ecocritical theory and practice, and other related fields. Special attention will be given to the role of culture and art in raising awareness about the need to protect nature and implement sustainable lifestyles on a global scale.
The seminar will also focus on the role and potential of individuals in supporting the green transition, adapting to global warming, and recognizing and countering misinformation and logical fallacies. We will work with materials from various media and cultural contexts.
Learning outcomes
After completing the seminar, students will be able to:
Navigate key concepts and trends in the relationship between culture and nature.
Understand the role of culture and art in addressing ecological issues, including the green transition.
Critically reflect on ongoing academic and public discourse regarding the environmental crisis.
Communicate complex environmental topics effectively, including recognizing and countering misinformation and logical fallacies.
Develop their own proposals and approaches to promoting sustainable lifestyles and adapting to global warming.
Syllabus
  • Introduction to ecocriticism: characteristics, aims, and development of the field.
  • Adaptation, intermediality, and ecocriticism.
  • Environmental themes in cultural, political, and social discourses.
  • The dualism of nature and culture vs. Hyperobjects, anthropomorphic interactions, meshworks, and transcorporeality.
  • Psychological aspects of the relationship to nature and the environmental crisis: guest speaker: Jitka Holasová.
  • Environmental communication in the czech republic: guest speaker: Jan Krajhanzl.
  • Eco-documentary filmmaking: analysis of environmentally themed documentaries and student-led projects.
  • Group field trip
Literature
    recommended literature
  • HEISE, Ursula (2008). Sense of Place and Sense of Planet: The Environmental Imagination of the Global. Oxford: Oxford UP.
  • SCHROERDER, Herbert (2005). The Meaning of “Nature”: Insights from Cognitive Linguistic. In: John G. Peden, Rudy M. Schuster (ed.). Proceedings of the 2005 Northeastern Recreation Research Symposium. New York: Bolton Landing.
  • IOVINO, Serenella; OPPERMANN, Sepil (2014). Material Ecocriticism. Bloomington: Indiana UP.
  • PLUMWOOD, Val (1993). Feminism and the Mastery of Nature. London, New York: Routledge.
  • MAŁECKI, Wojciech; SOROKOWSKI, Piotr; PAWŁOWSKI, Bogusław; CIEŃSKI, Marcin (2019). Human Minds and Animal Stories: How Narratives Make Us Care About Other Species. London: Routledge.
  • FLØTTUM, Kjersti (2017). The Role of Language in the Climate Change Debate. New York: Routledge.
  • RANGARAJAN, Swarnalatha (2019). Ecocriticism: Big Ideas and Practical Strategies. Hyderabad: OrientBlackSwan.
  • OPPERMANN, Serpil; IOVINO, Serenella (2017). Environmental Humanities: Voices from the Anthropocene. London, New York: Rowman & Littlefield.
  • CARACCIOLO, Marco (2021). Narrating the Mesh: Form and Story in the Anthropocene. Charlottesville: U of Virginia P.
  • CLARK, Timothy (2019). The Value of Ecocriticism. Cambridge: Cambridge UP.
  • SCHNEIDER-MAYERSON, Matthew; MOSSNER, Alexa Weik Von; MALECKI, Wojciech P.; HAKEMULDER, Frank (2023). Empirical Ecocriticism: Environmental Narratives for Social Change. Minneapolis: U of Minnesota P.
  • NIXON, Rob (2011). Slow Violence and the Environmentalism of the Poor. Cambridge: Harvard UP.
  • KRAJHANZL, Jan (2014). Psychologie vztahu k přírodě a životnímu prostředí. Brno: Munipress, Lipka.
  • CLARK, Timothy (2015). Ecocriticism on the Edge: The Anthropocene as a Threshold Concept. London: Bloomsbury.
    not specified
  • MORTON, Timothy (2013). Hyperobjects: Philosophy and Ecology After the End of the World. Minneapolis: U of Minnesota P.
  • MEEKER, Joseph (1997). The Comedy of Survival: Studies in Literary Ecology. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.
Teaching methods
Readings on the topic, discussions, participation in collaborative projects, teacher input, presentations.
Assessment methods
Reading, preparation of the selected assignment and its presentation, maximum of two absences.
Language of instruction
Czech
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
The course is taught annually.
The course is taught every week.
Information on the extent and intensity of the course: 0.
Teacher's information
Funded by the NPO 7.4 - Promoting Green Skills and Sustainability at MU project implemented under component 7.4 of the National Renewal Plan for Universities 2023-2025.

The course is aligned with the following SDG targets:

13.3: Enhance education, awareness, and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction, and early warning systems.

4.7: By 2030, ensure that all learners acquire the knowledge and skills needed to promote sustainable development, including through education for sustainable development and sustainable lifestyles, human rights, gender equality, the promotion of a culture of peace and nonviolence, global citizenship, and the appreciation of cultural diversity and culture’s contribution to sustainable development.

12.8: By 2030, ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles in harmony with nature.

The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2025.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2026, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/phil/spring2026/LMKB_a451