Academicians' perception of the environment and their religious and spiritual approach to the environment

The aim of this study is to analyze how academics perceive the environment and how they have a religious and spiritual approach to the environment. Within the scope of the study, the environment as a concept, environmental perception and problems, possible solutions, the relationship between environmental problems with belief, the importance of the environment in academia and education, the relationship between human and environment under the influence of modernity and technological developments, with the experience of coronavirus the relationship between human and the environment is examined comparatively by referring to the opinions of academicians. Today, a new study is carried out almost every day about the environment. However, no research has been found in the literature, which has been carried out by referring to the approaches of academicians on environmental perception. In this study, the effect of religious and spiritual values on the perception of the environment of academicians was questioned. Although it cannot be said that religion is the only factor in the perception of the environment, it has been found that an environmental understanding independent of religion is not possible. The aforementioned study is based on the qualitative data obtained from in-depth interviews with academicians, as well as on the studies and theories developed to date on the environment. In the study, in terms of the way the environment is handled, the human aspect has been emphasized and the relationship between human and environment as a social phenomenon has been focused. In addition, the research ncludes evaluations of the physical environment, and also emphasizes the social and spiritual aspects of the environment. The universe of this research consists of academicians, and in the sample, there are 13 academicians working in different departments, mainly in the field of social sciences, in Istanbul. Keywords: Academics, Environmental perception, Environmental problems, Environment and Religion, Human and Environment.