Gaps and overlaps between sustainability science and the environmental humanities

Autor: Blanco, Julien, Moreau, Clémence, Carrière, Stéphanie M., Fache, Elodie, Cué Rio, Miriam, Calatayud, François, Castella, Jean-Christophe, Le Meur, Pierre-Yves, Coudel, Émilie, Hervé, Dominique, Méral, Philippe, Therville, Clara
Zdroj: Sustainability Science; 20240101, Issue: Preprints p1-16, 16p
Abstrakt: Given the wicked environmental and sustainability challenges we face today, the need for a cross-disciplinary, science–society approach is increasingly undisputed. Yet, is the development of the distinct research fields of sustainability science (SustSci) and the environmental humanities (EnvHum) another example of academic silos? In this study, we conducted a comprehensive science mapping of the literature to explore the overlap or compartmentalization of these fields. Standardized search strings submitted in the Web of Science allowed us to gather a total of 2076 publications, including 1678 for SustSci and 398 for EnvHum, from which we explored the social, intellectual and conceptual structures of the two fields. The results indicated that SustSci and EnvHum are nourished by distinct research communities (distinct authors and journals) and rely on different epistemological legacies. In addition, results showed that the two research fields focus on similar challenges (e.g. climate change and biodiversity decline), but with contrasting approaches. SustSci combines natural and social sciences to address sustainability as a systemic problem, while EnvHum combines social sciences and the humanities, approaching it as a power and values issue. Nonetheless, a comprehensive analysis suggested that they also share key aims: bridging the nature–culture divide, transforming socio-political relationships, and taking into account values, affects and imaginaries. In light of these results, we finally discuss the opportunities and challenges for mutual enrichment between SustSci and EnvHum around these three shared goals, which might foster a strengthened response to the crises we face.
Databáze: Supplemental Index
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