{"title":"Problematising degrowth strategising: On the role of compromise, material interests, and coercion","authors":"Richard Bärnthaler","doi":"10.1016/j.ecolecon.2024.108255","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Degrowth has been at the centre of ecological economics since the days of its inception. Recently, degrowth scholarship and practice have turned to questions of strategy. To contribute to this debate, this paper uses the methodology of problematisation to reveal and discuss unquestioned assumptions that underpin discursive degrowth-strategy practices and hinder effective strategising. Based on Buch-Hansen's assessment of the (not yet actualised) prerequisites for a degrowth paradigm shift, discursive practices are analysed against the aim of building a comprehensive coalition of social forces and achieving broad-based consent. In addition, the paper draws on Gramscian theory to introduce a third unactualised prerequisite: the will to coerce and rule. The analysis contributes to further developing a theory of deep social-ecological-economic change.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":51021,"journal":{"name":"Ecological Economics","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":6.6000,"publicationDate":"2024-05-31","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921800924001526/pdfft?md5=98562241a0febe6f15b9dada75e97644&pid=1-s2.0-S0921800924001526-main.pdf","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Ecological Economics","FirstCategoryId":"96","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0921800924001526","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"经济学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"ECOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Degrowth has been at the centre of ecological economics since the days of its inception. Recently, degrowth scholarship and practice have turned to questions of strategy. To contribute to this debate, this paper uses the methodology of problematisation to reveal and discuss unquestioned assumptions that underpin discursive degrowth-strategy practices and hinder effective strategising. Based on Buch-Hansen's assessment of the (not yet actualised) prerequisites for a degrowth paradigm shift, discursive practices are analysed against the aim of building a comprehensive coalition of social forces and achieving broad-based consent. In addition, the paper draws on Gramscian theory to introduce a third unactualised prerequisite: the will to coerce and rule. The analysis contributes to further developing a theory of deep social-ecological-economic change.
期刊介绍:
Ecological Economics is concerned with extending and integrating the understanding of the interfaces and interplay between "nature''s household" (ecosystems) and "humanity''s household" (the economy). Ecological economics is an interdisciplinary field defined by a set of concrete problems or challenges related to governing economic activity in a way that promotes human well-being, sustainability, and justice. The journal thus emphasizes critical work that draws on and integrates elements of ecological science, economics, and the analysis of values, behaviors, cultural practices, institutional structures, and societal dynamics. The journal is transdisciplinary in spirit and methodologically open, drawing on the insights offered by a variety of intellectual traditions, and appealing to a diverse readership.
Specific research areas covered include: valuation of natural resources, sustainable agriculture and development, ecologically integrated technology, integrated ecologic-economic modelling at scales from local to regional to global, implications of thermodynamics for economics and ecology, renewable resource management and conservation, critical assessments of the basic assumptions underlying current economic and ecological paradigms and the implications of alternative assumptions, economic and ecological consequences of genetically engineered organisms, and gene pool inventory and management, alternative principles for valuing natural wealth, integrating natural resources and environmental services into national income and wealth accounts, methods of implementing efficient environmental policies, case studies of economic-ecologic conflict or harmony, etc. New issues in this area are rapidly emerging and will find a ready forum in Ecological Economics.