Geography ETDs

Publication Date

Spring 5-13-2023

Abstract

Herbalism, or practices which use plants for medicinal purposes, is tied to traditions in several cultures of the American Southwest, including Indigenous herbal medicine, Mexican-American curanderismo, and Western herbal traditions. Herbalism has been steadily gaining mainstream popularity since the late 1960s, alongside counterculture, holistic health, and back-to-nature movements, introducing many newcomers to the practice. This study asks: How does herbalism create and attach meaning to plants, cultures, and place in New Mexico? What are the affective landscapes produced by herbalism in New Mexico? And, to what extent do meaningful attachments manifest in ethics and actions of care? I argue that herbalists and plants collaborate to re-animate the landscape of New Mexico. This is achieved through establishing intimate human-plant relationships based upon reciprocal practices of care. Herbalists struggle over meanings of cultural identity, ancestry, gender, and life under capitalism through their practice, creating opportunities for change in a tradition-centered space.

Degree Name

Geography

Department Name

Geography

Level of Degree

Masters

First Committee Member (Chair)

Dr. Ronda Brulotte

Second Committee Member

Dr. Marygold Walsh-Dilley

Third Committee Member

Dr. Chris Duvall

Document Type

Thesis

Project Sponsors

Museum Research Traineeship (MRT)

Language

English

Keywords

more-than-human, herbal medicine, care, affect, plants, political ecology

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