The Aesthetics of Asceticism: Thoreau, Religion, and Social Justice with Alda Bathrop-Lewis

After a brief hiatus, we’re happy to be back with a new episode! This month’s guest is Alda Bathrop-Lewis, research fellow at Australian Catholic University's Institute for Religion and Critical Inquiry, and author of 2021 book Thoreau's Religion: Walden Woods, Social Justice, and the Politics of Asceticism. We discuss what links aesthetics to asceticism, and challenge the popular image of Thoreau as a solo hero in the woods, instead recognizing his deep sense of community and inheritance. Due to the tricky nature of coordinating three distant time zones, Brandon was unable to join the conversation this month.

For more on Alda: 

Twitter: @iamalda

Thoreau's Religion: Walden Woods, Social Justice, and the Politics of Asceticism: https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/thoreaus-religion/F3EE962BE32E911D768AD4FC50DE7793#fndtn-information 

ASLE EcoCast:

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• Twitter: @ASLE_EcoCast
• Jemma Deer: @Geowrites
• Brandon Galm: @BeGalm

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Episode recorded April 23, 2022.

CC BY-NC-ND 4.0