Root and Branch: Re-evaluating the Anthropocene through Ecocritical Theory and Green Thought

Abstract

This paper examines the evolution of ecocritical discourse from its pastoral origins to its current state as a radical, intersectional framework. By analyzing the “Three Waves” of ecocriticism and integrating concepts such as Rob Nixon’s “Slow Violence” and Timothy Morton’s “Dark Ecology,” the study argues for a post-humanist shift in narrative. Special emphasis is placed on the Global South, particularly the Indian subcontinent, where ecological survival is inextricably linked to post-colonial resistance and multispecies justice.