Book Talk: Becoming Ecological
July 23 at 3:30 pm - 5:00 pm
Can everyday conversation be the catalyst for change? Join authors Derek Gladwin and Kedrick James for a discussion on language and the ecological crisis, centered on their book, Becoming Ecological.
The book offers a new perspective as it explores how language, meaning and communication can support us in the process of “becoming ecological” in our daily lives. From food and compost to AI, climate anxiety, and even the nature of reality, the book is a hopeful invitation to see the world a little differently.
Learn how the words we use can shift how we think, relate to one another, and imagine the future. Leave with a fresh way of looking at the world around you. The discussion will be followed by a Q&A.
Event is free to attend and welcome to all. As space is limited, we do ask that you please register.
Meet the authors
Dr. Derek Gladwin is an Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education at UBC Vancouver, where he teaches in the Department of Language and Literacy Education and is a Faculty Associate in the Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability. He co-founded UBC’s Systems Beings Lab and the Collaborative Transdisciplinary PhD Cohort in Energy Transition.
A former UBC Sustainability Fellow and Catalyst Scholar in the Wall Institute for Advanced Studies, his research explores how “education” as a widely conceived approach can support societal transformation through systems literacy, socio-ecological awareness, regenerative learning models, practical philosophy, and arts-based inquiry. He is the author or editor of eight books, including Ecological Exile (2018), Rewriting Our Stories (2021), and Becoming Ecological (2026). He also serves as Senior Editor for Environmental & Sustainability Education in the Oxford Research Encyclopedia of Education.
Dr. Kedrick James is currently Director of the UBC Okanagan School of Education and a Professor of Teaching in Language and Literacy Education, Faculty of Education at UBC Vancouver. His diverse background, including roles in education, digital literacy and language studies, the arts and ecology, informs his interdisciplinary approach to scholarly research, teaching and service. Formerly director of the Digital Literacy Centre at UBC, he created public place- and arts-based educational technologies.
His leadership and multiple advisory roles within the UBC Faculty of Education underscore his dedication to academic excellence and mentorship. Dr. James was honoured with the Murray Elliott Service Award for Outstanding Contributions to Teacher Education in 2018 and has served as a UBC Sustainability Fellow. He is a co-Chair of the upcoming 2026 International Symposium on Poetic Inquiry and teaches courses both in Canada and in Mexico.
