Seeing with a Forager’s Eye: A Conversation with Martin Saxer

Abstract

This article features a conversation between RCC Director Christof Mauch and filmmaker and anthropologist Martin Saxer about practices of collecting and scavenging across the world. Saxer leads the research project “Foraging at the Edge of Capitalism,” based at the Rachel Carson Center (RCC). Here, he elaborates on how foraging is not just a means of subsistence but also a way of seeing and engaging with the environment that contrasts with modern, commodity-driven perspectives. He emphasizes the knowledge systems embedded in foraging practices, which foster a deep connection to the land.