Exploring Braiding Sweetgrass




« back to classes page
ClassGraphic This study group will explore Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge, and the Teachings of Plants (Milkweed Editions, 2013) by Robin Wall Kimmerer, a botanist and member of the Citizen Potawatuck Nation. In a series of essays Kimmerer braids memoir, Indigenous knowledge, scientific inquiry, and plant-stories to prompt deeper questions about reciprocity, gratitude, and humanity’s relationship with the land. Themes such as the “honorable harvest,” the concept of gift economics, and the living personhood of plants will guide discussion. Through careful reading and discussion, study group members will examine how Kimmerer invites readers to reimagine relationships between humans and the more-than-human world. The text’s interweaving of scientific knowledge and ancestral wisdom challenges Western notions of objectivity, offering new ways to understand reciprocity, gratitude, and stewardship of the earth. Braiding Sweetgrass is a beautifully written, thought-provoking book that has been on the New York Times best seller list for over 288 weeks. Each week we will read a series of essays from the book. Discussion leaders are encouraged to use supplemental materials such as additional readings, pictures, or videos to deepen our discussions and understanding of the themes of the book.
 

Class Details

14 Session(s)
Weekly - Tue

Location
Wieboldt Hall

Instructor
Multiple

Tuition: 

$0.00

Add To Cart » Send to Friend »

Schedule Information

Date(s) Class Days Times Location Instructor(s)
3/3/2026 - 6/2/2026 Weekly - Tue 01:15 PM - 03:15 PM Chicago, Wieboldt Hall  Map Kay Burnett  ; Samijean Nordmark  ; Susan Salpeter 

You may also be interested in these classes

Recommended Classes