European environmental research in the social sciences: research into ecological modernization as a ‘boundary object’

This paper examines the way that environmental policy and environmental research, in European social science, has reflected underlying paradigms of growth and development, to which the term ‘ecological modernization’ is often applied. We argue that what has been termed ‘ecological modernization’ is an essential part of the European project, and that this approach is already observable in much of the research undertaken by European social scientists. It means – inter alia – convergence in the use of materials and energy flows within EU countries, buttressed by regulatory frameworks, in such a way that Europe is placed on a competitive footing with North America and Japan, and indeed, able to seek, through ‘cleaner’ production methods and greener fiscal policies, to take the initiative in the modernization of production itself. This paper explores the ways in which this project has been translated into research, both at the level of the European Commission and within national research programmes, drawing on research undertaken for DGXII of the European Commission (contract ENV4-CT96-0190). On the basis of our research in six countries of the EU – the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Spain, Greece, Finland and Austria – we argue that the concept of ‘ecological modernization’ has served as a flag of convenience for disparate researchers and research systems, facilitating the establishment of research networks, practices and research agendas that span the very different research cultures of the EU. We go on to suggest the use of the concept of ‘boundary object’ from the sociology of knowledge (Star and Griesemer, 1989) as a way of understanding its attraction in academic and policy circles. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment