A Journey Towards Environmental Wisdom Environmental Themes in V.K. Arsenyev’s Thought and Writing with Special Reference to his Books Devoted to Dersu Uzala

Abstract

Vladimir Klavdievich Arsenyev (1872-1930) was an explorer and ethnographer in the Russian Far East. He was also a writer with a clear vision of nature protection. He described his scientific travels in several books in which he also expressed environmental concerns. Through his popular science writing at the beginning of the twentieth century, Arsenyev attempted to raise the general public's awareness about the degradation of nature, a problem which he saw not only involving ecological breakdown, but also social and moral issues. This thesis is an exploration of Arsenyev's environmental concerns and of his literary efforts to convey these concerns to a wide audience. Evidence is taken from his biographical materials, diaries, letters, and popular scientific publications. The main discussion on Arsenyev's environmental ideas and attitudes is focused on the analysis of his most popular books which were devoted to his expeditions with the native Nanai guide Dersu Uzala: Through the Ussuri region (1921) and Dersu Uzala (1923). This thesis argues that while not entirely transcending the attitudes and values of his time in his views of environmental issues, Arsenyev contributed to environmental awareness as a naturalist, moralist and humanist. His idea of environmental protection involved a concern for both the land and the people who inhabited it. Arsenyev's approach to environmental issues was essentially ethical. He contemplated his own relationship with nature and, being concerned about the future, was part of a movement that attempted to bring about change in human attitudes to the environment. Because Arsenyev's scientific interests and his writing involved a wide range of subjects, this research involves an inter-disciplinary approach to knowledge. It combines literary analysis with some aspects of the fields of environmental studies, ethnography, and the history of science.