The reflexive process in sustainability science: A short critical review

Abstract

Sustainability science has grown significantly as an interdisciplinary field in terms of publications and institutional relevance, yet continues to face substantial epistemological and methodological challenges. This article focuses on the critical self-reflection processes within sustainability science—defined as the systematic examination by scientists of their own knowledge production practices, methodologies, and epistemic foundations—as researchers actively construct this emerging field. This reflexive process, through which scientists critically assess both what they know and how they know it, plays a crucial role in consolidating sustainability science as a new scientific specialty. Through review of articles indexed in Web of Science (WoS) and SCOPUS up to July 2023 using key concepts of “science” and “sustainability” we identified 46 articles for analyzing these reflexive processes. Our analysis reveals four cross-cutting dimensions structuring the field: 1) thematic delimitation, characterized by diversity yet fragmentation; 2) inter- and trans-disciplinary knowledge generation modes that, while widely endorsed, face significant implementation challenges; 3) the public and decisive character of knowledge; and 4) institutional configurations that both enable and constrain the field's development. The findings emphasize that sustainability science's reflexive process not only contributes to its own maturation as a scientific specialty but also offers valuable insights for broader societal questions regarding the production of relevant and public knowledge in the face of complex socio-ecological challenges. This reflexivity represents a distinctive feature that enables sustainability science to bridge disciplinary boundaries while fostering more participatory and transformative approaches to knowledge creation that can address pressing sustainability issues worldwide.