Rewriting the Anthropocene: Imagination, Archive and Ecological Reflection in Latin American Literature

When so much of the collective imaginary, both in the Environmental Humanities and in
broader academic and non-academic fields, is consumed by images and ideas of a
dystopic future, this research identifies an alternative path contemporary authors are
taking through turning to the possibilities of the rewrite. The carefully selected corpus
demonstrates a breadth of authors who are delving into the archive and retelling stories
from different perspectives, whether that be through the eyes of an alternative narrator
or a reinterpretation of the original story. These stories do not have to be positive or
negative interpretations, nor do they necessarily need to attempt to rewrite past
wrongs. Instead, they engage in the act of looking for answers and reflecting on history
as a way of understanding and coming to terms with current ecological questions,
providing a space of exploration away from the hinderance of imagining the future.