new (old) methodology (I)

"Perhaps the most important task for human beings is not to search the stars to converse with cosmic beings but to learn to communicate with the other species that share this planet with us….[yet] attempts at serious communication between humans and other species are almost completely precluded by the arrogance and human-centredness of a culture that is convinced that other species are simpler and lesser, and only grudgingly to be admitted as communicative beings." (Plumwood, 2002, p. 189)

Further, the assumption that this communication does not happen makes it difficult (if not impossible) to engage in research practices that not only acknowledge, but actually explicitly encourage the engagement with non-human voices (Plumwood, 2002).

Perhaps this is in part because of the demands of 'performing' rational human in the context of Western culture that generally does not accept the possibility of two-way communications with plants, rocks or other non-human persons (see Abram, 2006; Harvey, 2006a, 2006b; Smith, 2004, 2006 for some exceptions).