Research on the Practices of German Eco-Communities and the Possible Applications of Their Developments in Korea
Our 21st-century civilization now requires an ecological worldview, rather than the human-centered worldview that has accompanied devel ...
Research on the Practices of German Eco-Communities and the Possible Applications of Their Developments in Korea
Our 21st-century civilization now requires an ecological worldview, rather than the human-centered worldview that has accompanied development since the origins of the modern age. The ecological worldview understands human beings neither as possessors of nor separate from nature but as part of it. This change in worldview has been triggered by the destruction of nature, the prevalence of pollution, and the devastation of human life itself that we have come to experience, and the new worldview pursues an aim of bringing human beings and nature into co-existence. Consequently, the ecological worldview doesn't react passively to our environmental crisis but reflects an active will to improve the quality of human life. This quality, however, can only be based upon respect for all life forms and adherence to a new philosophy of life seeking to achieve reconciliation and unity rather than lapsing into tension and conflict.
With this philosophy as background, our team investigated German eco-communities for our project's main object of research. Germany, a highly developed country, has been interested in environmental issues since the 1950s, and this has gradually led to consciousness and lifestyles that are ecologically informed. As a result, Germans are the most alert people in Europe about environmental issues, and Germany is the nation with the largest number of environmentally active groups pursuing alternative living. By contrast, people in Korea have only gotten interested in ecological movements since the 1990s. Previously, Korea had neglected the environment due to its process of industrial development, but it now sees greater need to focus on the environment and find an alternative lifestyle modeled on ecological communities. The more that people become interested in their quality of life, the more that this new consciousness could begin to resonate. Under such conditions, the eco-community movement could trigger broader discussions toward achieving a better future society.
Our research team worked with the aim of applying the frames and positive characteristics of German eco-communities toward developing Korean eco-communities. Our research, therefore, was as follows. Through focusing on the practices and realities of eco-communities, our team was able to complete its first-year project: "German Eco-Communities as Alternative Models for Overcoming the Ecological Crisis." This was more or less a theoretical approach to the topic. We looked at the communities from a rather practical perspective, asking about such things as their spirituality, their view of nature, their ecological ethics, their understanding of community, and their educational and economic activities. Furthermore, we investigated how the ecological mind and conscience of eco-communities might possibly spread throughout society.
To discuss the process and results of the research, our team met in April, June, and August at Osan's Hanshin University and Seosan's Hanseo University, within the framework of monthly meetings and seminars. For presenting portions of our research results to the public, our team met in December at the Seoul Education and Culture Center, within the framework of a symposium. Because our research focuses on the practices of eco-communities, we looked at both German and Korean eco-communities. Consequently, in February 2004, our team visited Green University in Hamyang, Gyungnam Province, and in June of the same year, some of our research team members visited several German eco-communities, such as Siebenlinden, ZEGG, and Lebensgut. The purpose of this overseas field research was to look into German eco-communities and the German environmental movement to find potential means of application in Korean society. The results of this endeavor will be soon published as a book.