Ursula K. Heise Co-Edits ‘Environment and Narrative in Vietnam’— A Cultural Exploration of Environmental Perspectives

UCLA Professor Ursula K. Heise, co-founder and director of the Laboratory for Environmental Narrative Strategies at IoES, recently co-edited a book titled “Environment and Narrative in Vietnam.” This comprehensive work, published by Palgrave Macmillan, delves into Vietnam’s natural environments and environmental challenges through the lens of culture and narrative.

The book brings together essays about Vietnam’s natural environments and environmental crises from the perspective of culture, with particular attention to narrative templates that have shaped perceptions and interactions with nature on the part of different communities. The essays explore theoretical problems in the assessment of ecological stewardship and attitudes toward nature across cultures, advancing the understanding of environmental cultures in Asia and in the Environmental Humanities.

Dr. Heise, who holds the Marcia H. Howard Term Chair in Literary Studies at UCLA, specializes in contemporary literature and the environmental humanities. Her work extends to exploring environmental literature, arts and cultures in various regions, including the Americas, Germany, Japan and Spain. Additionally, she co-edits the “Literatures, Cultures, and the Environment” series for Palgrave Macmillan, making significant contributions to the discourse on environmental issues through literature and narrative.