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The principal aim of the project will be the application of semiotic analysis to the problems of culture-nature relationships, on the basis of Estonian material, and to develop the theoretical framework of a new interdisciplinary branch - ecosemiotics. In its theoretical part, the research includes the following questions: (a) the communicative mechanisms responsible for the environmental diversity; (b) the communicative aspects of globalization of natural environment, particularly in connection with the phenomena of bioinvasion and decontextualization; (c) textualization of nature and landscape and the semantic changes related to these. On the basis of Estonian material, the following questions will be analysed: (a) the semiotic characteristics of traditional management of natural communities which are responsible for the enhancing of environmental diversity; (b) the changes in signification of trash and garbage and its role in the dynamics of culture-nature relationships during the last century; (c) the relationship between the design and representation of nature and the changes in this relationship during the last century. As an applied aspect, the semiotic criteria for environmental monitoring will be specified. In addition to the publications in international semiotic periodicals, including "Sign Systems Studies", a book "Semiotics of Nature" will be compiled and published. Two international meetings (Gatherings in Biosemiotics, in 2002 and 2004) on the topic will be organized in Estonia. The selected contributions to the regular seminar on the topic will be published as "Text and Nature II". |