Stare al mondo. Ecologie dell’abitare e del convivere

When we talk about overtourism, the liveability of cities or, more generally, environmental impact, we often refer to ‘humans’ and ‘the environment’ as if they were two separate entities. Yet the ecological crisis is also a crisis of the spaces for social and cultural exchange, spaces upon which the species Homo sapiens bases its existence. Market logic separates, isolates, carves out – in short, it is based on the severing of relationships between the internal and the external, between the private and the collective, which are, in fact, precisely what keep the places we inhabit alive. It seems that by now, at any moment, wherever we go, we risk encountering a turnstile and an admission ticket. To break this vicious circle, we could, for a start, return to being curious and ask ourselves not only who we are and which landscape to choose for the selfie that best represents us, but also break through the walls (and screens) we have built for our own peace of mind. To pause and listen to every form of ‘inhabited space’, be it our homes and cities, the highlands, the Amazonian forests—still home to over four hundred indigenous ethnic groups—or the habitats of every form of life with which we share our existence on this planet. Spanning philosophy and the history of design, with essential detours into anthropology and urban planning, the essays in this book invite us to examine each of these spaces—whether more or less tamed or tamable—to reflect in a less abstract way on the themes of sustainability, respect for the environment, and responsibility towards future generations. A starting point for thinking about ‘an ever-expanding “us”’, fulfilling Charles Darwin’s wish, and imagining a future in which we may have learnt how to Be in the World.