Craig Kauffman is Associate Professor of Political Science at the University of Oregon and a member of the United Nations Knowledge Network on Harmony with Nature. He has authored numerous works on environmental politics, ecological law, and sustainable development, including The Politics of Rights of Nature: Strategies for Building a More Sustainable Future, MIT Press, 2021 (with Pamela Martin). He is currently developing the EcoJurisprudence Monitor, which tracks ecological law initiatives worldwide. 

CRAIG KAUFFMAN

The term Rights of Nature tends to be applied to two different things. One is this underlying legal philosophy that is actually broader than just Rights of Nature, that’s probably better understood as ecological jurisprudence that may or may not be expressed in terms of rights, but because Rights of Nature is getting a lot of attention that term tends to be applied to represent this broader underlying philosophy. Of course, the other way it’s used it to refer to the legal provisions that explicitly recognize Rights for ecosystems.


This interview was conducted by Mia Funk & Richaa Kalva with the participation of collaborating universities and students. Associate Interviews Producer on this podcast was Richaa Kalva. Digital Media Coordinator is Hannah Story Brown.

Mia Funk is an artist, interviewer and founder of The Creative Process.