Reading Nature and Cultures: Interdisciplinary Perspectives on The Whale Rider and its Contexts

The introduction emphasises the importance of books as essential tools for research and learning in universities and the need to promote reading among students, especially as reading levels decline.It examines the "One University -One Book" programme, through which Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz selected "The Whale Rider" (1987) by Witi Ihimaera to foster a shared reading experience and rebuild social connections post-pandemic.The novel, blending Māori mythology with contemporary themes, served as a tool for intercultural learning and interdisciplinary dialogue.The project collaborated with the author himself as well as the University of Otago and engaged various academic disciplines to deepen understanding of Māori literature.The resulting volume presents scholarly and personal analyses of "The Whale Rider" and its contexts, relating them to global challenges like decolonisation, environmental protection and cultural resilience.