Ecology, Spirituality, and Education

The Author: Elaine Riley-Taylor is Assistant Professor at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff. She received her Ph.D. in curriculum theory at Louisiana State University and has published articles in professional books and journals.

«This rigorous and evocative study – influenced by deep ecology, ecofeminism, postmodernism – guides us into a world of relationality and sustainability. It is, to employ Riley-Taylor’s apt term, an instance of ‘eco-spiritual praxis’.» (William F. Pinar, St. Bernard Parish Alumni Endowed Professor, Louisiana State University)«Elaine Riley-Taylor invites us to walk a path with her that traverses richly textured ground; a ground-breaking path in its originality and vision. Riley-Taylor’s weaving of personal narrative and philosophical analysis offers an ecospiritual perspective intended for educators faced with increasing alienation, domination, and mind-numbing standardization. Through her poetic «methodology» of storytelling and creative theoretical integration, Riley-Taylor develops a powerful praxis to transform our epistemological and ethical assumptions. Her message deserves attention: the future of our planet could depend on it.» (Wendy Kohli, Director of Teacher Education, The New School, and President of the American Educational Studies Association, 2000-2001)