Islam, the Environment, and the Future of Humanity

Islam, the Environment, and the Future of Humanity
Dr Harvey Whitehouse

Professor of Social Anthropology at the University of Oxford

Inaugural Visiting Fellow of Social Cohesion Research at S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS)

What role can religion play in responding to the environmental challenges facing humanity? In this commentary, Dr Harvey Whitehouse draws on research into universal patterns of morality, religion and group belonging to consider how these deeply rooted dimensions of human psychology can be harnessed towards environmental stewardship. Rather than relying solely on scientific, political or economic appeals, he argues that humanity’s shared moral and religious intuitions offer an important resource for motivating collective environmental action.

Dr Whitehouse further considers how these common foundations may connect Islamic environmental thought with ecological perspectives across other faith traditions, opening possibilities for a shared ecological paradigm that can strengthen both environmental responsibility and social cohesion in Singapore’s religiously diverse society.

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