Nonhuman Charisma

In this paper I outline the parameters of nonhuman charisma in the context of UK biodiversity conservation. Although conservationists frequently discuss charismatic species in their professional discourse there is little existing work that explores the character of this charisma and how it operates in environmental governance. In this paper I map nonhuman charisma and explore its ontological, ethical, and epistemological implications. I first illustrate a three-part typology of nonhuman charisma, comprising ecological, aesthetic, and corporeal charisma. Exploring nonhuman agency through the lens of charisma I contribute to ongoing efforts in geography and cognate disciplines to forge a ‘more-than-human’…