Literature and Environment

The following is a selected list of research resources for literature and the environment, or ecocriticism. Literature and environment is an interdisciplinary field that uses resources from a variety of disciplines. "Ecocriticism" refers to the school of literary criticism devoted to studying literature and environment. For further assistance, contact Elizabeth Peterson, Librarian for Literature and Cinema Studies, at emp@uoregon.edu. 
 

Starting Your Research

These books might help you find topic ideas and will give you an introduction to the field:

• The Cambridge Introduction to Literature and the Environment | also available in print at KNIGHT PN98.E36 C53 2011 
  Provides an up-to-date overview of the field of ecocriticism, including sub-areas of study and research trends.
• The Ecocriticism Reader (1996) | KNIGHT PN81 .E24 1996
  Selected essays on L&E topics
• The Green Studies Reader (2000) | KNIGHT PR468 .N3 G74 2000
  Survey of 19th-20th century L&E, good source for Romanticism
• The Future of Environmental Criticism (2005) | KNIGHT PS169.E25 B837 2005
  The development and future of ecocriticism
• Twentieth-Century American Nature Writers (2003) | KNIGHT REFERENCE PS366.N36 T94 2003
  A biographical dictionary.
• American Nature Writers (1996) | KNIGHT REFERENCE PS163 .A6 1996
  A biographical dictionary.

To get research ideas and learn about the field, you might also scan the work of famous L&E scholars (a small selection):

• Jonathan Bate (British Romanticism)
• Lawrence Buell (America, ecocriticism, Thoreau)
• Terry Gifford (Britain and America, John Muir)
• Cheryll Glotfelty (America, ecofeminism, women writers)
• Patrick D. Murphy (ecofeminism)
• Scott Slovic (America, contemporary nature writing)

Finding Books

• UO Local Catalog | Search just the UO Libraries' holdings.
• UO WorldCat | Search the UO Libraries, the Summit system (Northwest libraries), and libraries worldwide. Use this system to request items not owned by UO Libraries.
• Browse the shelves:
  • PR 468 .N - 19th century British environmental literature (KNIGHT)
  • PS 169 .E25 - American environmental literature (KNIGHT)
• Use the Library of Congress classification to identify a book's main discipline:
  • Literature: P (PN: many literary theory texts; PR: British; PS: American) (KNIGHT)
  • Science: Q (KNIGHT and SCIENCE)
  • Social sciences: H (KNIGHT)
  • History: D (KNIGHT)
  • Philosophy, psychology, and religion: B (KNIGHT)

• Search Tips: Using Subject Headings
  • Animals in Literature
  • Conservation of Natural Resources in Literature
  • Ecology in Literature
  • Ecocriticism
  • Environmental Protection in Literature
  • Nature in Literature
  • Philosophy of Nature in Literature
  • Wilderness Areas in Literature

Finding Articles and Internet Sources

• MLA International Bibliography
  The major literary studies database, including many subject headings and keywords for literature and environment.
• ASLE Bibliography
  Small database entirely devoted to L&E. Useful for major, canonical L&E writers (Thoreau, Emerson, Whitman, Wordsworth, etc., especially-but not limited to--Americans)
• PAIS International
  Major database for the social sciences, including environmental issues.
• Alternative Press Index
  Alternative and radical publications, including environmental issues; left political slant. Be sensitive to possible bias.
• Agricola
  All aspects of agriculture, including economics, forestry, alternative farming practices, and nutrition.
• NatureServe
  Ecological data to aid conservation decisions, especially useful if you know the name of a particular species, taxa, ecosystem, etc. you wish to research.
• EPA official site
  Detailed information about the Environmental Protection Agency and US environmental law.
• Anthropology Plus
  Articles in all areas of anthropology and archaeology.

For general research, you might also try major interdisciplinary databases:

• Academic Search Premier
• ArticleFirst
• Google Scholar