The Representation of Nature and Nonhuman Agency: Insights From New Materialism, Posthumanism and Ontological Politics
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: This article explores the potential for acknowledging nature and nonhuman entities as political subjects by challenging the prevailing anthropocentric paradigm in contemporary representation theories. The study integrates conceptual analysis with comparative case studies, utilizing the theoretical frameworks of new materialism, posthumanism, and ontological politics. It explores diverse legal and political initiatives, such as the designation of the Whanganui River as a legal entity in New Zealand, the judicial efforts to confer personhood upon the Ganges and Yamuna rivers in India, the constitutional integration of the rights of nature in Ecuador, judicial decisions regarding the Atrato River and the Amazon Rainforest in Colombia, and local governance experiments in the United States. The findings reveal that these instances collectively strive to redefine nature not just as an entity to be protected but as a rights-bearing subject possessing political agency. The article connects relational ontology, reciprocity, and multispecies citizenship to modern democratic theory, contributing to normative discussions on ecological democracy and showcasing creative institutional frameworks for incorparating nonhuman perspectives into decision-making process. The study ultimately presents, an innovative paradigm that extends the political community’s parameters beyond the humanity, providing both theoretical profundity and practical guidance for reconsidering democracy amid ecological crisis.
Source: Türkiye Siyaset Bilimi Dergisi
Author: Muhammed Ramazan Demirci
Institution: Giresun University
Language: Turkish
Topic: Environmental law and policy
Subfield: Law
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
OpenAlex ID: W7143770556