This editorial introduces different theoretical strands in political ecology both in English and German speaking contexts. Comparing Marxist with more relational and "new materialist" approaches, it is argued that the various theoretical approaches chosen induce different ways of how the relationship between society and nature, between material and culture is conceptualized. The dialectical perspective derived from Marxism is thereby contrasted with the more emergent, and relativist understandings of actor network theory and assemblage thinking. Besides, the six single contributions in this Special Issue are introduced and five areas for further research are laid out: (1) the multiplicity of materiality, (2) the opposition between dialectic and relativist thinking, (3) the tension between elements and entire socio-material configurations, (4) materiality in the production of space and (5) issues of materiality and power.
This editorial introduces different theoretical strands in political ecology both in English and German speaking contexts. Comparing Marxist with more relational and "new materialist" approaches, it is argued that the various theoretical approaches chosen induce different ways of how the relationship between society and nature, between material and culture is conceptualized. The dialectical perspective derived from Marxism is thereby contrasted with the more emergent, and relativist understandings of actor network theory and assemblage thinking. Besides, the six single contributions in this Special Issue are introduced and five areas for further research are laid out: (1) the multiplicity of materiality, (2) the opposition between dialectic and relativist thinking, (3) the tension between elements and entire socio-material configurations, (4) materiality in the production of space and (5) issues of materiality and power.
Political ecology approaches examine how the relation between society and nature has historically and geographically evolved through material and discursive practices. This grounds a perspective which explore the social production of nature as a physical foundation of society. This article develops a conceptual framework to integrate the dimension of scale into political ecology. This allows political ecology approaches to understand social processes and the transformation of nature in the context of the production of scale. Against the background of palm oil production in Indonesia this article argues that combing political ecology and scale enhances our understanding of the way in which access to and control over natural resources change over time.
Political ecology approaches examine how the relation between society and nature has historically and geographically evolved through material and discursive practices. This grounds a perspective which explore the social production of nature as a physical foundation of society. This article develops a conceptual framework to integrate the dimension of scale into political ecology. This allows political ecology approaches to understand social processes and the transformation of nature in the context of the production of scale. Against the background of palm oil production in Indonesia this article argues that combing political ecology and scale enhances our understanding of the way in which access to and control over natural resources change over time.
Key words: politische Ökologie, Michel Foucault, Gouvernementalität, Repräsentation, narrative Verfahren, rhetorische Strategie, Regulationsmechanismen, Diskursformation, Poetologie ökologischen Wissens, kulturwissenschaftlich ausgerichtete Literaturwissenschaft'Political ecology' has emerged since the 1970s as a powerful discursive formation embracing science, economy and politics. The key concepts with which it operates are System, Equilibrium and Regulation. Modelling, simulation, visual representation, narrative shaping and rhetorical strategies play a key role: dystopian visions of the future are for instance frequently used to justify the imposition of a more authoritarian social order. Literary ecocriticism possesses the necessary methodology for critical analysis of the discourse of political ecology, in practices combining historical contextualisation of representations of environmental problems with investigation of the 'poetology of ecological knowledge', examining lead metaphors, narratives and representational techniques.Palabras clave: ecología política, Michel Foucault, mentalidad gubernamental, representación, métodos narrativos, estrategias retóricas, mecanismos reguladores, formación del discurso, conocimiento de la poética ecológica, ciencias culturales frente a ciencias literarias. "La ecología política" apareció en los años 70 como una poderosa formación discursiva que abarca ciencia, economía y política. Los conceptos clave en los que se basa son Sistema, Equilibrio y Regulación. El modelismo, la simulación, la representación visual, la forma narrativa y las estrategias retóricas desempeñan un papel clave: por ejemplo las visiones distópicas del futuro suelen usarse para justificar la imposición de un orden social más autoritario. La ecocrítica literaria posee la metodología necesaria para el análisis crítico del discurso de la ecología poética, en las prácticas que combinan la contextualización histórica de las representaciones de problemas medioambientales con la investigación de la ...
The consequences and effects of the socialist experiment are still felt today, a quarter century after the system change in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. The political, economic and social transformation processes which occurred in this period have only partially led to a convergence with the West. The former socialist societies show, to this day, striking differences and specific paths, which is why "postsocialism" as an explanatory category is still of relevance. Although political ecology was established decades ago, its research activities touching various fields and resulting in numerous studies conducted in rural and urban contexts around the world, there are hardly any political-ecological studies that deal with the post-socialist reality of Eurasia. A central field of political ecology stems from questions about the relationships between political and socio-economic transformation processes, on the one hand, and poverty, vulnerability and environmental change, on the other. Such problems occur in a particularly striking manner in the former "Second World" countries. Here, the spatial and temporal multiscalar approach of political ecology appears well suited to analyse the transformations of human-environment relationships. Political-ecological studies in the post-socialist sphere must take into account some special features, such as the legacy of socialist modernization, the disastrous environmental damages of the planned economy or the reconfiguration of institutions. This article discusses the conceptual particularities and challenges for a political ecology of post-socialism.
The consequences and effects of the socialist experiment are still felt today, a quarter century after the system change in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union. The political, economic and social transformation processes which occurred in this period have only partially led to a convergence with the West. The former socialist societies show, to this day, striking differences and specific paths, which is why "postsocialism" as an explanatory category is still of relevance. Although political ecology was established decades ago, its research activities touching various fields and resulting in numerous studies conducted in rural and urban contexts around the world, there are hardly any political-ecological studies that deal with the post-socialist reality of Eurasia. A central field of political ecology stems from questions about the relationships between political and socio-economic transformation processes, on the one hand, and poverty, vulnerability and environmental change, on the other. Such problems occur in a particularly striking manner in the former "Second World" countries. Here, the spatial and temporal multiscalar approach of political ecology appears well suited to analyse the transformations of human-environment relationships. Political-ecological studies in the post-socialist sphere must take into account some special features, such as the legacy of socialist modernization, the disastrous environmental damages of the planned economy or the reconfiguration of institutions. This article discusses the conceptual particularities and challenges for a political ecology of post-socialism.
