The Deep Ecology Movement: Origins, Development, and Future Prospects (Toward a Transpersonal Ecosophy)

The deep ecology movement, which began with Arne Naess’ introduction of the term in 1972, is compared with other movements for social responsibility that developed in the 20th century. The paper discusses Naess’ cross-cultural approach to characterizing grassrootsmovements via platform principles that can be supported from a diversity of cultures,worldviews, and personal philosophies, and explains his use of “ecosophy.” The deep ecology movement’s relationship with ecopsychology, ecocriticism, and humanistic and transpersonal psychology is described as part of an emerging synthesis referred to as transpersonal ecosophy.The inquiry concludes with a technical discussion of Naess’ Apron Diagram and reflections on the future of the movement in light of widespread concerns about global warming and destruction of cultural and biological diversity.