1st Edition

Transformative Ecological Economics Process Philosophy, Ideology and Utopia

By Ove Jakobsen Copyright 2017
    278 Pages 4 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    278 Pages 25 B/W Illustrations
    by Routledge

    When we look at the state of the world today, what is most evident is the fact that the major problems of our time – energy, environment, economy, climate change and social justice – cannot be understood in isolation. They are interconnected problems, which means that they require corresponding systemic solutions. Today’s global economy has brought about critical distress for ecosystems and societies and we have to go to the very root of the problems to find a way out.

    This volume develops a synthesized interpretation of ecological economics integrating different levels: (economic) system, (business) practice and the (economic) actor. It discusses how changes on a systems level are connected to changes in practice and development of individual consciousness. Transformative Ecological Economics delves into the insight and knowledge from different sources of inspiration (thermodynamics, Darwinism, anthroposophy and Buddhism) as well as into an integrated story describing and illustrating the core ideas, principles and values that characterize a utopian society anchored in ecological economics. Implementation of the deep changes demanded depends on our ability to write a new story, a utopian one for sure, but one which is in accordance with and based on the reality in which we live.

    This book will be of interest to those who study ecological economics, political economy and environmental economics.

    Part I: Context of Interpretation

    1.1. Introduction

    1.2. Philosophy of Organism

    1.3. Ideology and Utopia

    1.4. Green Economy and Ecological Economics

    Part II: Perspectives on Ecological Economics

    2.1. Introduction

    2.2 Four sources of inspiration

    2.3. Transdisciplinarity

    2.4. Economics as a moral science

    2.5. Eastern perspective

    2.6. Management perspective

    2.7. Projects

    2.8. Institutions, law and money

    2.9. The beginning is near

    Part III: Utopian Narratives

    3.1. Introduction

    3.2. Utopian stories of ecological economics

    3.3. Applications

    Biography

    Ove Jakobsen is Professor in Ecological Economics at Bodø Graduate School of Business, Nord University, Norway. He is co-founder and leader of the Centre for Ecological Economics and Ethics.