Du loisir à l’apprentissage de la vulnérabilité de la nature : jardiner en ville pour renouveler les relations aux vivants, à Malmö (Suède)

Abstract

Using the theoretical framework of care ethics, this paper explores the extent to which urban community gardens offer the opportunity to renew links with ordinary nature, based on attention and responsibility. Our ethnographic study, based on participant observation and semi-structured interviews, conducted in Malmö (Sweden), during 3 months with a local urban gardening network, shows that collective gardens allow direct contact with nature, satisfy needs for a contact with nature and allow the development of a diversity of relationships with plants, including caring relationships. We also find that these relationships exist through practice and other gardeners’ expertise. These results highlight how important are, within cities, spaces dedicated to learning complex relationships with nature. They stress the importance of sensory learning that contributes to environmental knowledge.

Keywords

• vulnerability
• Sweden
• care
• attention
• nature relations
• community gardens