Ep 34: Nature Has No Borders: The Controversial Science of Invasion Ecology

Join me for a provocative conversation with brothers Vasile and James Stănescu as we deconstruct the common yet charged concept of "invasive species." Moving beyond a simplified view of nature, we explore how the rhetoric of "invasion ecology" creates a violent foundation justifying perpetual war against certain animals.

Drawing from their contributions to the critical book, The Ethics and Rhetoric of Invasion Ecology, James and Vasile unpack the real-world consequences of this ideology. Vasile illustrates the cyclical failure of "management," where killing one species leads to an explosion in another, forcing us to ask: why must nature be violated in order to protect it? James, one of the book's editors, examines the militarized language and apocalyptic tone used to describe non-native species, which in turn dictates a response of total eradication—a hyperbolic reaction to hyperbolic communication.

This episode challenges the sanitized ideal of a pristine wilderness and delves into the ethical costs of this worldview for both human and non-human animals. Tune in for a deep dive into the intersection of language, ecology, and animal liberation.

Website/Socials & Books:

Vasile Stǎnescu

Website: How we win https://www.winforanimals.org

Podcast: How we win https://www.winforanimals.org/how-we-win-podcast

Instagram: @professional.vegan

Article: "How Industrial Slaughter Became the Blueprint for Modern Capitalism" https://www.currentaffairs.org/news/how-industrial-slaughter-became-the-blueprint-for-modern-capitalism

James Stǎnescu

Website: https://www.criticalanimal.com

Book: The Ethics and Rhetoric of Invasion Ecology (Lexington Books, 2017)

Other links

Banu Subramanian, "The Aliens Have Landed! Reflections on the Rhetoric of Biological Invasions" https://www.jstor.org/stable/40338794

Emi Leese

https://emilialeese.substack.com

http://thinklikeavegan.com

http://emilialeese.com

Instagram @emi.leese

YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@thinklikeavegan/videos

Credits

Host: Emilia A. Leese

Guest: Vasile Stǎnescu and James Stǎnescu

Production & Engineering: Jim Moore of Bloody Vegans Productions; https://www.bloodyvegansproductions.com

Graphics: Catherine Dorrell https://www.messyvegancook.com

Music

Opening theme: “Flashbacks” by Jenny Moore’s Mystic Business

Interlude: "Ōuda Afternoon I" music by Matthew Gerstenberger, voice by Chiyako

Closing theme: “Tear Things Up” by Jenny Moore’s Mystic Business

This podcast is part of iROAR, the Animals Podcasting Network https://iroarpod.com