Animism: Respecting the Living World

'Animism' is now an accepted term for describing ways in which man engages with some of his other-than-human neighbours (e.g. animals, plants, rocks, clouds), on the understanding that the category 'person' includes more than humans. The author concentrates on animism among Native Americans, Maoris, Aboriginal Australians and eco-Pagans. He discusses these cultures, introduces the reader to their diversity of ways of being animist, and engages with the linguistic, performative, ecological and activist implications of these different animisms.