The Aesthetics of Asceticism: Thoreau, Religion, and Social Justice with Alda Bathrop-Lewis
After a brief hiatus, EcoCast is happy to be back with a new episode! Our guest is Alda Bathrop-Lewis, research fellow at Australian Catholic University’s Institute for Religion and Critical Inquiry, and author of the 2021 book Thoreau’s Religion: Walden Woods, Social Justice, and the Politics of Asceticism. We discuss what links aesthetics to asceticism, and challenge the popular image of Thoreau as a solo hero in the woods, instead recognizing his deep sense of community and inheritance. Due to the tricky nature ...