Planetary Health
Under the name Planetary Health, a new interdisciplinary scientific field is emerging that studies the relationship between human health and the (global) environment. The research project Existential Challenges of Planetary Health is funded by the Dutch Research Council (NWO) and carried out at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU) and Maastricht University (MU). The Faculty of Social Sciences and Humanities at VU serves as the lead institution, and Professor Dr. Hans Alma is the project leader. Prof Dr. Pim Martens leads the research done at Maastricht University.
Existential Challenges of Planetary Health
The research project Existential Challenges of Planetary Health (ECoPH) focuses on the transformation of values and belief orientations needed for the development of a planetary healthy society. How can we shift from an anthropocentric worldview to one that places ecosystems, in which humans are participants, at the center? Through theoretical and empirical research, we explore how the academic profession of spiritual care can foster this transformation. We examine the uncertainties, fears, and sources of inspiration of people affected in various ways by ecological crises and investigate what helps them to develop perspectives for action.
The program consists of the following subprojects:
- How can research into existing ecocentric worldviews contribute to the development of the scientific field of Planetary Health, by shifting the anthropocentric focus on human health towards an emphasis on the need for ecosystem restoration? – PhD research: Renée Robbers
- How can the existential dimension of planetary health be understood through philosophical research into the cultural imagination and valuation of relationships between humans and more-than-human forms of existence, and through ways to effect change within these cultural images and valuations? – Postdoctoral research: Lisa Doeland
- How can spiritual care contribute to spiritual health and transformation, in full awareness of collective loss and ecological grief? – PhD research: Evanne Nowak
For more information on this project see:
PIM MARTENS 