Plural Ontologies, Indigenous Perspectives, and Fieldnotes from The Mushroom at the End of the World (Rideau Canal Case Study)

A vocabulary-focused set of flashcards capturing key terms, concepts, and theories from the lecture notes on Tsing’s work, Indigenous perspectives, fieldwork, and the pluriverse.

Arts of noticing

A practice encouraged by Anna Tsing that uses careful, attentive, and ethically engaged observation of humans and non-human life to understand life in environments shaped by capitalism and global trade.

Plural Ontology

The study of being or what exists; in this context, multiple ways of existing beyond a single Western reality.

Epistemic diversity

The study of how we know what exists; emphasizes that different cultures have diverse ways of knowing.

Plural ontologies

The idea that many coexisting realities of being exist, not a single universal ontology.

Plural epistemologies

Multiple ways of knowing reality, accompanying multiple ways of being.

Onto-epistemological integration

Blending ontology and epistemology to include scientific observation and Indigenous/ceremonial perspectives.

World-making

Ontology as action; realities are created and enacted through interactions among many agents (being is a verb, not just a noun).

Friction

The clash between dominant Western ontologies/epistemologies and other worldviews, producing resistance, negotiation, and potential transformation.

Indigenous Place-Thought

Watts’s idea that place and thought are inseparable; beings (human and non-human) co-create knowledge within relational contexts.

Indigenous Place-Thought and Distributed Agency (Watts, 2013)

Knowledge and agency are spread across humans and non-humans, not limited to humans.

Non-human agency

Animals, plants, and ecosystems have agency, sentience, and participate in world-making.

Fish as kin (Algonquin ontology)

Indigenous view that fish are kin with reciprocal responsibilities to humans and the land-water system.

Algonquin ontology (fish as kin)

Indigenous framework in Rideau Canal contexts where fish are kin within Algonquin land-water relationships and law.

Indigenous cosmologies

Worldviews in which multiple beings and forces shape reality; humans are not sole knowers.

Eurocentrism/Western universality

The belief in a single, universal reality and a single method of knowing that privileges Western frameworks.

Descartes’ mind–body dualism

Philosophical split that separates mind from nature, underpinning Western ontology/epistemology.

Epistemic diversity

Openness to multiple knowledge systems beyond Western frameworks.

Pluriverse

A world where many worlds fit; coexistence of multiple ontologies and epistemologies.

Entangled pluriverse

The idea that multiple worlds are interwoven and shaped by histories of colonial power and border dynamics.

Friction, movement, and transformation

Frictions between worlds can drive movement of people, capital, and ideas, enabling social transformation.

Rideau Canal field trip

Field-based observation of fish, water, and human infrastructure at Rideau Canal; emphasizes relational life and governance.

Fish kill at Rideau Canal

Mass fish mortality caused by canal drainage, highlighting the harsh effects of human management on ecosystems.

What the hell is water? (Wallace analogy)

Metaphor illustrating being/knowing: water = ontology; asking what water is = epistemology and reflection on reality.

Alternative view for Eurocentric view

People may inhabit the same environment but hold different ontologies/epistemologies, leading to plural understandings.

Povinelli (2016)

Scholarly critique of how Western metaphysics shapes global understanding and suppresses other worlds.

Watts (2013)

Indigenous thinker who argues for Indigenous Place-Thought, distributed knowledge, and non-human agency.

Escobar, Mbembe, Mignolo (pluriverse debates)

Scholars who articulate the pluriverse concept and epistemic diversity across borders of power and knowledge.

Tsing

Advocates world-making and argues that other worlds are possible; emphasizes plural relations among humans and non-humans.

Tsing, Wallace and Todd

Idea of pluralities of being, with fish and other beings possessing their own ontologies.

Law & Lien (2013)

Work on multiplicity of onto-epistemologies —how different worlds co-exist and interact.

Legal contradictions in fish governance

Disparities where authorities can drain canals and kill fish with little consequence, while individuals can be prosecuted for similar killings.

Observational learning

Learning through careful watching of habitats and organisms, as exemplified by Wayne Roberts’ fieldwork.

Seasonal observation

Seasonality shapes what can be observed and the behaviors of fish and habitats.

Observation tools

Senses, smartphones, and group observation used to study water, fish, and environment.

Ceremonial tobacco offering

Ritual act by students to honor fish, reflecting ethical engagement with non-human life.

Co-creation of society

Humans and non-humans mutually shape social, ecological, and cultural realities.

Algonquin legal traditions

Indigenous legal norms and practices that frame relationships with fish and land.

Epistemic Diversity

Contrasting idea that Western frameworks claim universality versus the reality of multiple, coexisting worldviews.

What is the primary goal of practicing the "Arts of noticing"?

To develop deep, ethical observation skills to understand complex ecological and social dynamics, especially within capitalist-shaped environments.

How does the concept of "world-making" challenge traditional Western views of reality?

It posits that reality is actively created through interactions among many agents (human and non-human), challenging the idea of a pre-existing, objective reality independent of perception or action.

What does "onto-epistemological integration" aim to achieve?

To merge different ways of understanding what exists (ontology) and how we know it (epistemology), often by combining scientific methods with Indigenous or ceremonial knowledge systems.

In the context of the pluriverse, what is the significance of an "entangled pluriverse"?

It emphasizes that while multiple worlds exist, they are not separate but are interwoven and shaped by shared histories of colonialism, power dynamics, and cross-border interactions, leading to complex and often unequal relationships.

What is a practical outcome of acknowledging "non-human agency"?

It leads to recognizing non-human entities (like animals, plants, ecosystems) as active participants in shaping environments and societies, which can influence ethical considerations, conservation efforts, and legal frameworks.

How do "Friction, movement, and transformation" relate to ontological clashes?

The encounters ('friction') between different worldviews can create dynamics ('movement') of people, ideas, and knowledge, potentially leading to significant social and ecological changes ('transformation').