As global plant and animal extinctions rise, concerns about the future of ecosystems are driving ambitious conservation efforts rooted in Western scientific principles. However, Audra Mitchell argues that these approaches often ignore and exacerbate structural violence, including colonialism, racism, and extractivism, leading to further destruction of unique life forms and ecosystems. By critiquing the Western discourse on extinction and biodiversity through the lens of diverse Indigenous philosophies and marginalized knowledge systems, the author promotes new ways to articulate the ethical implications of global extinction. Mitchell introduces a framework of (bio)plurality, emphasizing the importance of nurturing irreplaceable worlds, relations, and ecosystems, while advocating for transformative ecological-political relations, including land return and critical engagement with narratives of “human extinction.” The work highlights the deep violence embedded in concepts of extinction, conservation, and biodiversity, merging political ecology, global ethics, and violence studies to propose concrete alternatives. It also showcases how multi-life-form worlds resist the violence driving extinction and influence global management efforts. Retail e-book files for this title are screen-reader friendly, featuring images with short alt text or extended descriptions.
