Local ecosystems, biodiversity and sustainability: bioregional reading of Mary Hunter Austin’s The Land of Journey’s Ending

Abstract

American writer Mary Hunter Austin’s passion for living a bioregional lifestyle is conveyed in her works, which may be applied on a larger scale to help build a stronger civilization that is environmentally minded and emphasizes the mindset of bioregions in terms of self-sufficiency rather than global homogenizing interconnectedness. This study examines Austin’s literary non-fiction, The Land of Journeys’ Ending, from a bioregional lens, as it focuses on the American Southwest and its indigenous inhabitants, who live harmoniously with the land. Austin’s passion for Native American culture was profound as were her convictions about their lifestyle, including their spiritual life and cultural heritage, which were adapted to suit the local landscape and its natural conditions/features that they highly valued. The emphasis on preserving local culture, politics, and economies of Austin’s work could contribute to deepening the understanding of bioregionalism’s potential influence in a modern context, especially as a response to the global monoculture crisis. Thus, the paper delves into Austin’s notable work in an effort to reveal her position about how humans should construct a beneficial relationship with the natural world based on a local context.