Ben Minteer
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Phone: 480-965-4632
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LSA 262 TEMPE, AZ 85287-4501
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Mail code: 4501Campus: Tempe
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(On sabbatical leave AY2024-25)
Ben A. Minteer is professor of environmental ethics and conservation in the School of Life Sciences at ASU. He writes about wilderness, wildlife conservation, and the history of environmental thought, especially in the American West. Minteer is author or editor of more than a dozen books, including Wild Visions: Wilderness as Image and Idea (with Mark Klett and Steve Pyne; Yale University Press), The Fall of the Wild: Extinction, De-Extinction, and the Ethics of Conservation (Columbia University Press), and The Landscape of Reform: Civic Pragmatism and Environmental Thought in America (MIT Press). His new book (co-edited with Jonathan Losos) is The Heart of the Wild: Essays on Nature, Conservation, and the Human Future (Princeton University Press).
PhD, University of Vermont, 2000
Environmental ethics, wilderness, conservation history
BOOKS (published)
- The Heart of the Wild. Essays on Nature, Conservation, and the Human Future. Co-edited with Jonathan B. Losos. Princeton University Press, 2024.
- A Wilder Kingdom: Rethinking Nature in Zoos, Wildlife Parks, and Beyond. Co-edited with Harry W. Greene. Columbia University Press, 2023.
- Wild Visions: Wilderness as Image and Idea. Co-authored with Mark Klett and Stephen J. Pyne. Yale University Press, 2022.
- Studies in Outdoor Recreation: Search and Research for Satisfaction (4th ed.). Co-authored with Robert E. Manning (lead) and 14 others. Oregon State University Press, 2022.
- The Fall of the Wild: Extinction, De-Extinction, and the Ethics of Conservation. Columbia University Press, 2018.
- The Ark and Beyond: The Evolution of Zoo and Aquarium Conservation. Co-edited with Jane Maienschein and James P. Collins. University of Chicago Press, 2018. *Selected as a Choice Outstanding Academic Title, 2018.
- A Sustainable Philosophy: The Work of Bryan Norton. Co-edited with Sahotra Sarkar. Springer, 2018.
- After Preservation: Saving American Nature in the Age of Humans. Co-edited with Stephen J. Pyne. University of Chicago Press, 2015.
- Refounding Environmental Ethics: Pragmatism, Principle, and Practice. Temple University Press, 2012.
- Nature in Common? Environmental Ethics and the Contested Foundations of Environmental Policy. Editor. Temple University Press, 2009.
- The Landscape of Reform: Civic Pragmatism and Environmental Thought in America. MIT Press, 2006.
- Reconstructing Conservation: Finding Common Ground. Co-edited with Robert E. Manning. Island Press, 2003.
- Democracy and the Claims of Nature: Critical Perspectives for a New Century. Co-edited with Bob Pepperman Taylor. Rowman & Littlefield, 2002.
BOOK (in progress)
- The Wild Bunch: Ansel Adams, David Brower, Wallace Stegner, Nancy Newhall, Edward Abbey, and the Fight for Wilderness in the American West (Yale University Press, under contract).
EDITED JOURNALS/SERIES
- Minteer, Ben A., ed. 2012. “Environmental Ethics.” Article series for The Nature Knowledge Education Project (Nature Publications). Accessible at: http://www.nature.com/scitable/knowledge/environmental-ethics-96467512.
- Minteer, Ben A. and Thad Miller, eds. 2011. “The New Conservation Debate: Beyond Parks vs. People.” Special issue of Biological Conservation 144.
- Bird, Stephanie J., Minteer, Ben A., and James P. Collins, eds. 2008. “Ecological Ethics.” Special issue of Science and Engineering Ethics 14.
SELECTED ARTICLES, BOOK CHAPTERS, AND ESSAYS (SINCE 2013)
- Minteer, Ben A. 2024. “Picturing the Wild.” In The Heart of the Wild: Essays on Nature, Conservation, and Our Ecological Future, eds. Ben A. Minteer and Jonathan B. Losos (Princeton University Press).
- Minteer, Ben A. and Jonathan B. Losos. 2024. “Wild Hearts and Minds.” In The Heart of the Wild: Essays on Nature, Conservation, and Our Ecological Future, eds. Ben A. Minteer and Jonathan B. Losos (Princeton University Press).
- Minteer, Ben A. and Harry W. Greene. 2023. “Zoos and the Wild: A Reconsideration.” In A Wilder Kingdom: Rethinking the Wild in Zoos, Wildlife Parks, and Beyond, eds. Ben A. Minteer and Harry W. Greene (New York: Columbia University Press).
- Schnebly, Risa A. and Ben A. Minteer. 2023. “Should We Bring Back the Dodo? De-extinction is a Feel-Good story, But These High-Tech Replacements Aren’t Really ‘Resurrecting’ Species.” The Conversation (3/1/23). https://theconversation.com/should-we-bring-back-the-dodo-de-extinction-is-a-feel-good-story-but-these-high-tech-replacements-arent-really-resurrecting-species-199586.
- Minteer, Ben A., James P. Collins, and Aireona Raschke. 2022. “Zoos and Conservation.” In Routledge Companion to Environmental Ethics, eds. Benjamin Hale and Andrew Light (Routledge).
- Wu, Tong, Charles Perrings, Chenwei Shang, James P. Collins, Peter Daszak, Ann Kinzig, and Ben A. Minteer. 2020 “Protection of Wetlands as a Strategy for Reducing the Spread of Avian Influenza from Migratory Waterfowl.” Ambio 49: 939-949.
- Minteer, Ben A. and Christopher Rojas. 2018. “The Transformative Ark.” In A Sustainable Philosophy: The Work of Bryan Norton, eds. Sahotra Sarkar and Ben A. Minteer (Springer).
- Minteer, Ben A., Jane Maienschein, and James P. Collins. 2018. “Zoo and Aquarium Conservation: Past, Present, Future.” In The Ark and Beyond: The Evolution of Zoo and Aquarium Conservation, eds. Ben A. Minteer, Jane Maienschein, and James P. Collins (University of Chicago Press).
- Minteer, Ben A. 2018. “The Parallax Zoo.” In The Ark and Beyond: The Evolution of Zoo and Aquarium Conservation, eds. Ben A. Minteer, Jane Maienschein, and James P. Collins (University of Chicago Press).
- Minteer, Ben A. 2018. “Environmental Ethics.” Routledge Companion to Environmental Studies, eds. Noel Castree, Mike Hulme and James Proctor (NY: Routledge).
- Minteer, Ben A. 2017. “Environmental Ethics, Sustainability Science, and the Recovery of Pragmatism.” In The Oxford Handbook of Environmental Ethics, eds. Stephen M. Gardiner and Allen Thompson (Oxford University Press).
- Minteer, Ben A. 2017. “What Would Leopold Do? Considering Assisted Colonization as a Conservation Strategy.” For Routledge Handbook for the Philosophy of Biodiversity, eds. Justin Garson, Anya Plutynski, and Sahotra Sarkar (Routledge).
- Minteer, Ben A. and Robert E. Manning. 2016. “Wilderness Preserves.” In A Thinking Person’s Guide to the National Parks, eds. Robert E. Manning, David Harmon, Nora Mitchell, and Rolf Diamant (George Braziller, Inc.): 105-115.
- Minteer, Ben A. 2016. “The Real Zootopia.” Slate (3/3/16). http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/future_tense/2016/03/the_real_zootopia_in_denmark_has_experts_divided_on_the_state_of_the_zoo.html
- Minteer, Ben A. 2015. “Why Edward Abbey Still Matters.” Earth Island Journal (5/15/15). http://www.earthisland.org/journal/index.php/elist/eListRead/why_edward_abbey_still_matters/
- Minteer, Ben A. and Stephen J. Pyne. 2015. “What Does it Mean to Preserve Nature in the Age of Humans?” The Conversation (5/1/15). https://theconversation.com/what-does-it-mean-to-preserve-nature-in-the-age-of-humans-39987
- Minteer, Ben A. 2015. “Abbey’s Secret.” In Abbey in America: A Philosopher’s Legacy in a New Century, ed. John A. Murray (University of New Mexico Press): 57-64.
- Minteer, Ben A. 2015. “When Extinction is a Virtue.” In After Preservation: Saving American Nature in the Age of Humans, eds. Ben A. Minteer and Stephen J. Pyne (University of Chicago Press): 96-104.
- Minteer, Ben and Steve Pyne. 2015. “Writing on Stone, Writing in the Wind.” In After Preservation: Saving American Nature in the Age of Humans, eds. Ben A. Minteer and Stephen J. Pyne (University of Chicago Press): 1-8.
- Minteer, Ben A. 2015. “The Perils of De-Extinction.” Minding Nature 8 (1): 11-17. https://humansandnature.org/the-perils-of-de-extinction/
- Minteer, Ben A. 2014. “Extinct Species Should Stay Extinct.” Slate (December 1). https://slate.com/technology/2014/12/de-extinction-ethics-why-extinct-species-shouldnt-be-brought-back.html
- Minteer, Ben A. 2014. “Can Zoos Save the World?” The Conversation (10/30/15). https://theconversation.com/can-zoos-save-the-world-32356
- Minteer, Ben A. 2014. “The Fall of the Wild? Not Really.” Slate (July 21). https://slate.com/technology/2014/07/wilderness-act-turns-50-is-it-still-useful.html
- Minteer, Ben A. 2014. “A Kerfuffle Over Species Collection.” Slate (June 16). https://slate.com/technology/2014/06/scientists-who-discover-or-rediscover-species-should-sometimes-leave-specimens-where-they-find-them.html
- Minteer, Ben A. 2014. “Is it Right to Reverse Extinction?” Nature 509: 261.
- Minteer, Ben A., James P. Collins, Karen E. Love, and Robert Puschendorf. 2014. “Avoiding (Re)Extinction” Science 344: 260-261.
- Winston, Johnny, Ben A. Minteer, and James P. Collins. 2014.“Old Wine, New Bottles? Using History to Inform the Assisted Colonization Debate.” Oryx 48: 186-194.
- Minteer, Ben A. and James P. Collins. 2013 “Ecosystems Unbound: Ethical Questions for an Interventionist Ecology.” In Ronald Sandler, ed., Ethics and Emerging Technologies (Palgrave-Macmillan), pp. 456-470.
- Minteer, Ben A. and James P. Collins. 2013. “Ecological Ethics in Captivity: Balancing Values and Responsibilities in Zoo and Aquarium Research Under Rapid Global Change.” ILAR Journal 54: 41-51.
- Minteer, Ben A. 2013. “Conservation, Animal Rights, and Human Welfare: A Pragmatic View of the ‘Bushmeat Crisis’.” In Marc Bekoff, ed., Ignoring Nature No More: The Case for Compassionate Conservation (Chicago: University of Chicago Press), pp. 77-93.
- Minteer, Ben A. and Leah R. Gerber. 2013. “Buying Whales to Save Them.” Issues in Science and Technology 29: 58-68.
- Minteer, Ben A. and Stephen J. Pyne. 2013. “Restoring the Narrative of American Environmentalism.” Restoration Ecology 21: 6-11.
- Minteer,Ben A*, Collins,James, Maienschein,Jane Ann. Standard Research Grant: Past Present and Future of Conservation in Zoological Institutions. NSF-SES(7/15/2014 - 6/30/2017).
- Maienschein,Jane Ann*, Minteer,Ben A. CHIF: The Ark and Beyond: This Historical Philosophical and Scientific Evolution of Zoo and Aquarium Conservation (ASUF 30005923). ASU FDN(1/1/2014 - 12/31/2015).
- Kitch,Sally L*, Adamson,Joni Lynn, Broglio,Ronald, Chhetri,Nalini, Chhetri,Nalini, Chhetri,Nalini, Cruz-Torres,Maria, Hirt,Paul Wayne, Lussier,Mark Stephen, Mcgregor,Joan Lucy, Minteer,Ben A, Simeone,Michael Paul. Integrating the Humanities across National Boundaries: the Promise of CHCI. DUKE UNIV(7/1/2013 - 12/31/2015).
- Minteer,Ben A*. Ecological Ethics: Constructing a Professional Ethic for Ecologists and Biodiversity Managers. NSF-BIO(9/1/2005 - 2/29/2008).
Courses
2025 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
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BIO 493 | Honors Thesis |
BIO 492 | Honors Directed Study |
BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
2024 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
BIO 492 | Honors Directed Study |
BIO 493 | Honors Thesis |
BIO 499 | Individualized Instruction |
2024 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
BIO 493 | Honors Thesis |
BIO 591 | Seminar |
BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
BIO 527 | Environ Ethics & Policy Goals |
SOS 527 | Environ Ethics & Policy Goals |
2023 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
BIO 492 | Honors Directed Study |
BIO 493 | Honors Thesis |
BIO 499 | Individualized Instruction |
BIO 591 | Seminar |
BIO 324 | Environmental Ethics |
PHI 310 | Environmental Ethics |
2023 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
BIO 492 | Honors Directed Study |
BIO 493 | Honors Thesis |
BIO 591 | Seminar |
BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
BIO 527 | Environ Ethics & Policy Goals |
SOS 527 | Environ Ethics & Policy Goals |
2022 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
BIO 492 | Honors Directed Study |
BIO 493 | Honors Thesis |
BIO 499 | Individualized Instruction |
BIO 591 | Seminar |
BIO 324 | Environmental Ethics |
PHI 310 | Environmental Ethics |
2022 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
BIO 492 | Honors Directed Study |
BIO 493 | Honors Thesis |
BIO 591 | Seminar |
BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
BIO 527 | Environ Ethics & Policy Goals |
SOS 527 | Environ Ethics & Policy Goals |
2021 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
BIO 492 | Honors Directed Study |
BIO 493 | Honors Thesis |
BIO 499 | Individualized Instruction |
BIO 591 | Seminar |
BIO 324 | Environmental Ethics |
PHI 310 | Environmental Ethics |
2021 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
BIO 492 | Honors Directed Study |
BIO 493 | Honors Thesis |
BIO 591 | Seminar |
BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
BIO 527 | Environ Ethics & Policy Goals |
SOS 527 | Environ Ethics & Policy Goals |
2020 Fall
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
BIO 492 | Honors Directed Study |
BIO 493 | Honors Thesis |
BIO 499 | Individualized Instruction |
BIO 591 | Seminar |
BIO 324 | Environmental Ethics |
PHI 310 | Environmental Ethics |
2020 Spring
Course Number | Course Title |
---|---|
BIO 492 | Honors Directed Study |
BIO 493 | Honors Thesis |
BIO 495 | Undergraduate Research |
BIO 527 | Environ Ethics & Policy Goals |
SOS 527 | Environ Ethics & Policy Goals |
- University of Chicago Press, manuscript reviewer (2013 - Present)
- Collaboration with the Phoenix Zoo, AZ Zoological Society Chair (2013 - Present)
- SoLS Communications Committee, Member (2012 - Present)
- University of New Mexico Press, Manuscript reviewer (2012 - Present)
- WIREs Climate Change, Referee (2012 - Present)
- BioScience, Referee (2012 - Present)
- Journal of Environment and Development, Referee (2012 - Present)
- Ethics, Policy and the Environment, Referee (2012 - Present)
- Ecological Economics, Referee (2012 - Present)
- Synthese, referee (2011 - Present)
- Environmental History, referee (2011 - Present)
- Environmental Philosophy, referee (2011 - Present)
- CLAS Committee on Committees, member (2011 - 2015)
- Environmental Ethics, Editorial Board (2010 - Present)
- Environmental Ethics, Editorial Board (2010 - Present)
- Oxford University Press, Manuscript reviewer (2010 - Present)
- National Science Foundation, Panel reviewer (2009 - 2014)
- Ethics and the Environment, Referee (2010 - Present)
- Journal for the Study of Nature, Religion & Culture, referee (2009 - Present)
- SoLS Undergraduate Programs Committee, Committee Member (2009 - 2014)
- Biological Conservation, Referee (2009 - Present)
- University Press of Kentucky, Manuscript reviewer (2009 - Present)
- SUNY Press, Book Manuscript Reviewer (2009 - Present)
- Conservation Letters, Referee (2009 - Present)
- Environmental Ethics, Referee (2009 - Present)
- Gale/Cengage GREENr Prpoject (Multi-Media Resource for Sustainability), Editorial Advisory Board Member (2009 - 2011)
- Conservation Biology, Referee (2006 - Present)
- Environmental Values, Referee (2006 - Present)
- Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics, Referee (2006 - Present)
- ASU National Scholarships and Fellowships Committee, committe member -- Udall Scholarship Competition; Marshall Interview Committee (2004 - Present)
- ASU National Scholarships and Fellowships Committee, committe member -- Udall Scholarship Competition; Marshall Interview Committee (2004 - Present)
- Environmental Ethics, Editorial Board Member (2010 - 2020)
- Politics & Policy, Referee (2010 - 2011)
- Temple University Press, manuscript reviewer (2008 - 2008)
- CLAS Faculty Senate, Member (2006 - 2008)
- National Scholarships and Fellowships Committee, Member (2004 - 2007)
- SoLS Undergraduate Curriculum Review Committee, Committee Member (2006 - 2007)
- SoLS Collections Committee, Member (2005 - 2006)
- SoLS Human Dimensions Speaker Nomination Committee, Chair (2005 - 2006)
- Conservation Biology, Referee (2006 - 2006)
- Island Press, Book Proposal Reviewer (2006 - 2006)
- SoLS Sustainability Committee, Member (2006 - 2006)
- Lincoln Center for Applied Ethics Advisory Council, Affiliate (2004 - 2006)
- SUNY Press, Book Manuscript Reviewer (2006 - 2006)
- Ecology, Referee (2006 - 2006)
- Students for Environmental Action, Faculty Advisor (2004 - 2005)
- National Science Foundation, Proposal Reviewer (2005 - 2005)
- MIT Press, Reviewer (2004 - 2004)
- Philosophy and Geography, Referee (2004)
- Worldviews: Environment, Culture, Religion, Referee (2004)
- Environmental Ethics, Referee (Present)
- Landscape and Urban Planning, referee (Present)
- Restoration Ecology, referee (Present)