UDTR Global Rights of Nature Radar

Orbital Ecocentrism: Harvey's Manifesto for Planetary Consciousness

Identification

Public canonical key

doi:10.22161/ijllc.6.2.1

Authors

Dr. Anupam Dutta

Reported year

2026

Reported language

en

Source type

article

First detected

2026-11-09T19:13:16.493352+00:00

Last metadata observation

2026-11-09T19:19:50.264936+00:00

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Not checked

Documentary abstract — original language

Samantha Harvey’s 2024 Booker Prize-winning novel Orbital serves as a profound ecocentric manifesto cultivating planetary consciousness in the Anthropocene. Set over sixteen orbits on the International Space Station, six multinational astronauts observe Earth’s revolutions from low orbit. This paper posits Harvey’s “space pastoral” as employing the orbital gaze to dismantle anthropocentric boundaries and affirm Earth’s intrinsic value as a biotic community. Rooted in Aldo Leopold’s land ethic and Arne Naess’s deep ecology, the analysis shows how the novel’s cyclical structure mirrors ecological rhythms, challenging linear temporality. Close readings of typhoons, auroras, and evaporating seas critique human degradation while fusing personal grief with planetary loss. The ecocentric sublime blends awe and sorrow, converting impotence into ethical demand for kinship. Using qualitative ecocritical methods—including close reading and intertextual analysis—the study explores interconnectedness, microgravity frailty, and manifesto implications for policy and education. Orbital calls for a shift from conquest to stewardship. This research advances spatial ecocriticism, highlighting the novel’s pivotal role in Anthropocene literature and providing a blueprint for transformative, regenerative narratives.

Identifiers

OPENALEX

W7133315147

DOI

10.22161/ijllc.6.2.1

Documentary context

Documentary family

Scholarship

Source-reported types

article

Natural entities mentioned

Sea

Entity mentions are not evidence of legal recognition. Jurisdiction studied is separate from author affiliation country.

Sources

OpenAlex · Record 1 · Record 2

• DOI · https://doi.org/10.22161/ijllc.6.2.1
• OpenAlex · https://openalex.org/W7133315147

Documented bibliographic relations

Source-declared references and links; they do not establish legal support or UGLC qualification. Up to 20 outgoing references are displayed.

• openalex:w2021883551 · CITES
• openalex:w4410206559 · CITES

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Documentary status

Relevance pending

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