Abstract
As a child, I was raised in the vast, wide-open spaces of the boundless prairie grasslands of the central United States. This immense expanse is commonly known as the ‘Great Plains’. It was hot, dusty and windy, but afforded ample opportunity for out-of-doors play and exploration — a wild place of sorts, where birds, small animals and especially insects were prolific. During these formative years I forged deep connections with the wind-swept land, the wild flowers and grasses, and the tiny, ubiquitous creatures we simply referred to as bugs. I was particularly entranced by ants. I vividly remember spending hours tracking the movement, activities and community interactions of these small creatures as they navigated their way through the vast expanse of our backyard — an area that, from a child’s spatial perspective, seemed akin to hiking across continental North America.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Preview
Unable to display preview. Download preview PDF.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bach, C. (2008). “His ears are so soft!” Vepets: An animal-assisted visitation/ activity program for children and families at the Philadelphia Ronald McDonald House. Reflection: Na rra tives of Professio na I Help ing, 14(4), 39–45.
Bach, C. (1997). Reconceptualizing Social Work’s Person-in-Environment Perspective: Explorations in Radical Environmental Thought (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University of Kansas, America.
Bach, C. (2006). Instructional techniques for social work education: Insights from deep ecology in its Norwegian cultural context. Universitas, 2(1), 1–18.
Bach, C. (2007). Envoicing the world: Constructionism and essentialism in natural discourse — How social work fits in. In S. Witkin & D. Saleebey (Eds.), Social Work Dialogues: Transforming the Canon in Inquiry, Practice and Education (pp. 167–202). Alexandria: CSWE Press.
Bach, C. (2008). Environment and social work practice. Encyclopedia of Social Work (20th ed., vol. 2, pp. 132–6). New York: Oxford University Press.
Bach, C. (2012). Deep ecology’s contribution to social work: A ten-year retrospective. International Journal of Social Welfare, 21(3), 248–9.
Bach, C. (2013). Radical egalitarian ecological justice: A social work call to action. In M. Gray & J. Coates (Eds.), Environmental Social Work (pp. 16–31). London: Routledge.
Besthorn, RH., & Canda, E. (2002). Revisioning environment: Deep ecology for education and teaching in social work. Journal of Teaching in Social Work, 22(1-2), 79–101.
Borrell, J., Lane, S., & Fraser, S. (2010). Integrating environmental issues into social work practice: Lessons learnt from domestic energy auditing. Australian Social Work, 63(3), 315–8.
Burgon, H. (2011). ‘Queen of the world’: Experiences of ‘at-risk’ young people participating in equine-assisted learning/therapy. Journal of Social Work Practice, 25(2), 165–83.
Chandler, C. (2012). Animal Assisted Therapy in Counselling. New York: Routledge.
Coates, J. (2003). Ecology and Social Work: Toward a New Paradigm. Halifax: Fernwood.
Coates, J. (2005). The environmental crisis: Implications for social work. Journal of Progressive Human Services, 16(1), 25–4 9.
Dietz, T., Davis, D., & Pennings, J. (2012). Evaluating animal-assisted therapy in group treatment for child sexual abuse. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 21(6), 665–83.
Drengson, A., & Devall, B. (2010). The deep ecology movement: Origins, development and future prospects. The Trumpeter: Journal ofEcosophy, 26(2), 48–69.
Fine, A. (Ed.) (2010). Handbook of Animal-Assisted Therapy: Theoretical Foundations and Guidelines for Practice (3rd ed.). San Diego: Academic Press.
Geist, T. (2011). Conceptual framework for animal assisted therapy. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 28(3), 243–56.
Gray, M., & Coates, J. (2012). Environmental ethics for social work: Social work’s responsibility to the non-human world. International Journal of Social Welfare, 21(3), 239 7.
Hawkins, C. (2010). Sustainability human rights, and environmental justice: Critical connections for contemporary social work. Critical Social Work, 11(3), 68–81.
Hoff, M., & McNutt, J. (Eds.) (1994). The Global Environmental Crisis: Implications for Social Welfare and Social Work. Brookfield: Ashgate Publishing.
Hoff, M., & Polack, R. (1993). Social dimensions of the environmental crisis: Challenges for social work. Social Work, 38(2), 204–11.
Im es, R. (2003). Practical Entomologist: An Introductory Guide to Observing and Understanding the World of Insects. New York: Touchstone Books.
Jones, P. (2010). Responding to the ecological crisis: Transformative pathways for social work. Journal of Social Work Education, 46(1), 67–84.
Kellert, S. (2012). Birthright: People and Nature in the Modern World. New Haven: Yale University Press.
Lauck, J. (2002). The Voice of the Infinite in the Small: Re-visioning the Insect-Human Connection. Boston: Shambala.
Lind, N. (2009). Animal Assisted Therapy A ctivi ties to Motivate and Inspire. Lombard: PYOW.
Louv, R. (2011). Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder. Chapel Hill: Algonquin Books.
Lysack, M. (2010). Environmental decline, loss, and biophilia: Fostering commitment in environmental citizenship. Critical Social Work, 22(3), 48–66.
Mary N. (2008). Social Work in a Sustainable World. Chicago: Lyceum Books.
McKinnon, J. (2008). Exploring the nexus between social work and the environment. Australian Social Work, 62(3), 256–68.
Molyneux, R. (2010). The practical realities of ecosocial work: A review of the literature. Critical Social Work, 22(2), 61–9.
Naess, A. (1973). The shallow and the deep, long-range ecology movement: A summary. Inquiry, 26(2), 95–100.
Naess, A. (1989). Ecology, Community and Lifestyle: Outline of an Ecosophy. New York: Cambridge Llniversity Press.
Naess, A. (1995a). The shallow and the deep, long-range ecology movement. In A. Drengson & Y. Inoue (Eds.), The Deep Ecology Movement: An Introductory Anthology (pp. 3–9). Berkeley: North Atlantic Books.
Naess, A. (1995b). Self-realization: An ecological approach to being in the world. In G. Sessions (Ed.), Deep Ecology for the 21st century: Readings on the Philosophy and Practice of the New Environmentalism (pp. 225–39). Boston: Shambhala.
Naess, A. (2008). The basics of the deep ecology movement. In A. Drengson & B. Devall (Eds.), The Ecology of Wisdom (pp. 105–19). Emeryville: Counterpoint Press.
Peeters, J. (2012). The place of social work in sustainable development: Towards ecosocial practice. International Journal of Social Welfare, 21(3), 287–98.
Pichot, T. (2011). Animal-Assisted Brief Therapy: A Solution-Focused Approach (2nd ed.). New York: Routledge.
Raffles, H. (2011). Insectopedia. New York: Vintage Books.
Resnick, H., & Jaffee, B. (1982). The physical environment and social welfare. Social Casework, 63(6), 354–62.
Rogge, M. (2008). Environmental justice. In National Association of Social Workers, Encyclopedia of Social Work (pp. 136–9). New York: Oxford University Press.
Ryan, T. (2011). Animals and Social Work: A Moral Introduction. Basingstoke: Pal grave Macmillan.
Schaffer, D. (2009). Animals connecting people to people: Insights into animal-assisted therapy and animal-assisted activities. Reflections: Narratives of Professional Helping, 25(1), 42–5.
Shaw, T. (2008). An ecological contribution to social welfare theory. Social Development Issues, 30(3), 13–26.
Smithsonian Institute. (2013). Smithsonian Encyclopedia: Numbers of insects (species and individuals).
Tedeschi, P., Fitchett, J., & Molidor, C. (2005). The incorporation of animal-assisted intervention in social work education. Journal of Family Social Work, 9(4), 59–77.
Trotter, K. (2011). Harnessing the Power of Equine Assisted Counselling: Adding Animal Assisted Therapy to Your Practice. New York: Routledge.
Waldbauer, G. (2004). What Good are Bugs?: Insects in the Web of Life. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
Walsh, F. (2009a). Human-animal bonds I: The relational significance of companion animals. Family Process, 48(4), 462–80.
(2009b). Human-animal bonds II: The role of pets in family systems and family therapy. Family Process, 48(4), 481–99.
Zapf, M. (2009). Social Work and the Environment: Understanding People and Place. Toronto: Canadian Scholars Press.
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 2014 Fred H. Besthorn
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Besthorn, F.H. (2014). Deep Ecological ‘Insectification’: Integrating Small Friends with Social Work. In: Ryan, T. (eds) Animals in Social Work. The Palgrave Macmillan Animal Ethics Series. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137372291_1
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137372291_1
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-349-47607-7
Online ISBN: 978-1-137-37229-1
eBook Packages: Palgrave Religion & Philosophy CollectionPhilosophy and Religion (R0)