Abstract
The field of ecocriticism dates back to the earliest days of humans commenting on cultural expressions of our relationship to the more-than-human world, but we are now living through a particularly vibrant era of ecocritical engagement with various planetary crises, ranging from climate change and rampant industrial toxicity to the plight of refugees and the hardships caused by the coronavirus pandemic. In addition to exploring timeless philosophical and aesthetic questions, ecocritics seek to gain intellectual traction in explaining and mitigating contemporary humanitarian and ecological problems. The articles included in this special issue of NALANS demonstrate a wide range of traditional and cutting-edge ecocritical approaches and concerns.