Rewilding 221

Rewilding 221:

Rewilding & Social Justice

Taught by Peter Michael Bauer


Wednesdays, June 7th, 14th, 21st, 28th || 7:00–8:30 pm
Rewild Portland Studio || 438 NW 22nd Street, Portland, OR
Four weeks, $85 ||Prerequisite: Rewilding 101

The reason rewilding isn’t happening on a larger scale can be linked to social barriers that block all people’s ability to rewild. Therefore, in order to rewild we must dismantle the social barriers that lie in the way. Social justice—breaking free from the captivity of empire—is the crux of the ability to rewild. Rewilding without social justice is merely self-serving. Authentic rewilding requires social justice work; it is social justice work.

This class is about understanding the power structure of civilization and how it creates barriers to rewilding. What are those barriers and how do we begin to dismantle them? What can we do immediately? What can we begin to plan? How can we band together, across our many divides (class, race, gender, etc.)? This class isn’t the answer but is a way of starting the conversation.


Week 1: What is social justice and how does it relate to rewilding?

  • Hierarchy vs. egalitarian anarchism in human history (and prehistory)
  • Nature vs. nurture in the justification of injustice and justice
  • Social justice in today’s world

Week 2: Working within captivity

  • Allyship and access
  • Diversifying the hierarchy vs. dismantling it
  • Communicating effectively
  • Creating spaces to grieve
  • Creating access within the current system
  • DEI—positions of “power”
  • Third parties/politics/policies/laws

Week 3: Laying the grounds for escaping empire, together

  • Past examples: Maroons, Ishmaelites, Metis, etc.
  • Present examples: Hoopsters, tribal reservations, etc.
  • Examining barriers
  • Overcoming barriers

Week 4: A post-empire future

  • Bringing it all together
  • Future scenarios
  • What is possible?

Peter Michael Bauer is an environmental educator, author of the book Rewild or Die, and executive director of Rewild Portland.


Registration